Nuer fishing lure
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1937.34.46
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Nuer
Date Made:
By 1936
Materials:
Snail-Shell Animal , Wood Plant
Process:
Polished , Perforated
Dimensions:
L = 880 mm, Shell L = 110, W = 108.7, Ht = 88 mm; stick W = 14.5, Th = 14 mm [RTS 25/8/2004].
Weight:
201.3 g
Other Owners:
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his last period of fieldwork amongst the Nuer between October and November 1936, where he worked amongst the Nuer Leek in the area west of the Nile [RTS 6/7/2004].
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Donated 1937
Collected Date:
October to November 1936
Description:
Fishing lure made from a wooden stick, roughly broken at the handle end with the part of one side missing at that point, with a straight body, cut or broken along one side of the lower body to make it taper to a point.
The surface is a light yellowish brown (Pantone 729C) and has been polished.
The end of the stick has been pushed through the side of a large snail shell.
This shell has a mottled brown surface (Pantone 4625C), worn and weathered in places, and a very large irregularly shaped hole in the opposite wall.
It is not clear if this hole was part of the original design, or accidental; however it was shown as part of the object when published in 1940.
The lure weighs 201.3 grams, and has a total length of 880 mm; the snail shell is 110 mm long, 108.7 mm wide and 88 mm high; the stick is 14.5 mm wide and 14 mm thick.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his last period of fieldwork amongst the Nuer between October and November 1936, where he worked amongst the Nuer Leek in the area west of the Nile. He describes their use of this type of object: 'When fishing in shallows with spears they sometimes strike the water with a ball of twine or the shell of a giant snail attached to a stick ... to attract the fish. Fish are eaten roasted or boiled' (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, pp 70-72, pls IX-X, and XXIIa-b). He did not record the Nuer name for this type of lure. For a similar object, see 1937.34.47.
This object is currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 28A.
Rachael Sparks 29/8/2005.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard during his last period of fieldwork amongst the Nuer between October and November 1936, where he worked amongst the Nuer Leek in the area west of the Nile. He describes their use of this type of object: 'When fishing in shallows with spears they sometimes strike the water with a ball of twine or the shell of a giant snail attached to a stick ... to attract the fish. Fish are eaten roasted or boiled' (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, pp 70-72, pls IX-X, and XXIIa-b). He did not record the Nuer name for this type of lure. For a similar object, see 1937.34.47.
This object is currently on display in the Upper Gallery, case 28A.
Rachael Sparks 29/8/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
38, pencil in left column] 34 [ink]
E.E.
EVANS-PRITCHARD
, M.A., Exeter College.
Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, vis: [addition in different pen] (Coll.
in 1936) [p.
42] - From the NUER tribe, A[NGLO]-E[GYPTIAN].
SUDAN, viz: [pencil] 46 [ink] - Stick with very large snail-shell, perforated & fixed at one end; when plunged into the water this makes a noise which attracts fish.
Additional Accession Book Entry [p. 41] - 1937.34.46 No given AP.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].
Written on object - Noise-making instrument for attracting fish. Plunged into surface of the water. NUER. A.-E. SUDAN. d.d. E. Evans-Pritchard 1937 [label stuck to object; RTS 25/8/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [p. 41] - 1937.34.46 No given AP.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].
Written on object - Noise-making instrument for attracting fish. Plunged into surface of the water. NUER. A.-E. SUDAN. d.d. E. Evans-Pritchard 1937 [label stuck to object; RTS 25/8/2004].
Publication History:
E.E.
Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Nuer, fig.
10 right pp 71-2.
