Club, Shilluk?
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1965.12.119
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] [Upper Nile]
Cultural Group:
? Shilluk
Date Made:
By 1923
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Polished
Dimensions:
L = 745, head diam = 126.5 x 123.5, ht = 94.5; handle max W = 41.3, max th = 38 mm [RTS 13/5/2005].
Weight:
745.5 g
Other Owners:
Collected by Edward John Russell in 1923; donated to PRM by his son, Edward Walter Russell in 1965 and handed over by Margaret Russell to the museum on 21st June 1965 and accessioned in December of that year [RTS 6/4/2005].
Field Collector:
Edward John Russell
PRM Source:
Edward Walter Russell
Acquired:
Donated December 1965
Collected Date:
1923
Description:
Club carved from a single piece of wood and consisting of a hemispherical head with convex upper body and concavely cut underside with a handle extending from its centre.
The handle is slightly oval in plan view and tapers to a point at the butt.
It is complete, but has a crack running down one side of the head.
The wood is an orangey brown colour (Pantone 730C), becoming darker at the head (Pantone 469C), and has been well polished.
The club weighs 745.5 grams and is 745 mm long, with a head diameter of 126.5 by 123.5 mm and 94.5 mm thick, and a handle measuring 41.3 by 38 mm across the top.
Collected by Edward John Russell in 1923; donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1965 by his son, Edward Walter Russell. It is said to come from the Upper Nile.
For similar Shilluk clubs, see 1903.16.114-115 and 1927.84.1, and also R. Boccassino, 1960, "Contributo allo studio della ergologia delle popolazioni nilotiche e nilo-camitiche, Annali Lateranensi XXIV, figs 45-46, 60-61 and 69. Apparently clubs of this form often had a socketed iron spike fixed to the butt, which could be used as a weapon in its own right or pushed in the ground to let the club stand upright by itself (C. Spring 1993, African Arms and Armour , p. 119).
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Collected by Edward John Russell in 1923; donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1965 by his son, Edward Walter Russell. It is said to come from the Upper Nile.
For similar Shilluk clubs, see 1903.16.114-115 and 1927.84.1, and also R. Boccassino, 1960, "Contributo allo studio della ergologia delle popolazioni nilotiche e nilo-camitiche, Annali Lateranensi XXIV, figs 45-46, 60-61 and 69. Apparently clubs of this form often had a socketed iron spike fixed to the butt, which could be used as a weapon in its own right or pushed in the ground to let the club stand upright by itself (C. Spring 1993, African Arms and Armour , p. 119).
Rachael Sparks 30/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
80] - E.W.
RUSSELL, Esq., ...
EMMER GREEN, READING.
BERKS.
Collected by donor’s father, Sir John Russell, in 1923.
[p.
80] 1965.12.119 - SUDAN, UPPER NILE, ?SHILLUK TRIBE.
Wooden throwing club with exceptionally large mushroom-shaped head.
Total length 74.8cm, diam.
of head 12.0 cm.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes or clubs catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].
Related Documents File - RDF 1965.12.118-123 contains a letter from Edward Walter Russell to 'the curator' of PRM, dated 14th June [no year], in which he offers some objects to the museum, with the information: "My father, Sir John Russell, collected a certain number of household equipment from I believe Upper Nile tribes in the Sudan in 1923. I don’t know the exact provenance of any of the items, nor can I guarantee they all came from that part of the Sudan. I suppose there are about 2-3 dozen items". A reply from Beatrice Blackwood, dated 15th June 1965, expresses interest; a postcard from his wife, Margaret Russell, dated 16th June and postdated 17th June 1965, then makes arrangements to bring the objects to the museum on June 21st [RTS 23/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label? - 21/6/65 Russell [circular sticker attached to head, that matches the date the object was actually received by the museum, although it does not appear to have been accessioned till december of that year]; AFRICA, Sudan, Shilluk? Wooden throwing club with ball-shaped head, coll. Edward John Russell 1923, don. Edward Walter Russell 1965; 1965.12.119 [plastic coated tag, tied to object;] a further paper label may also have been wrapped around the lower handle at one time, leaving traces behind but no legible inscription [RTS 13/5/2005].
Written on object - SUDAN ?SHILLUK TRIBE. Coll. in 1923. d.d. E.W. Russell 1965.12.119 [RTS 6/4/2005].
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes or clubs catalogue card [RTS 23/7/2004].
Related Documents File - RDF 1965.12.118-123 contains a letter from Edward Walter Russell to 'the curator' of PRM, dated 14th June [no year], in which he offers some objects to the museum, with the information: "My father, Sir John Russell, collected a certain number of household equipment from I believe Upper Nile tribes in the Sudan in 1923. I don’t know the exact provenance of any of the items, nor can I guarantee they all came from that part of the Sudan. I suppose there are about 2-3 dozen items". A reply from Beatrice Blackwood, dated 15th June 1965, expresses interest; a postcard from his wife, Margaret Russell, dated 16th June and postdated 17th June 1965, then makes arrangements to bring the objects to the museum on June 21st [RTS 23/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label? - 21/6/65 Russell [circular sticker attached to head, that matches the date the object was actually received by the museum, although it does not appear to have been accessioned till december of that year]; AFRICA, Sudan, Shilluk? Wooden throwing club with ball-shaped head, coll. Edward John Russell 1923, don. Edward Walter Russell 1965; 1965.12.119 [plastic coated tag, tied to object;] a further paper label may also have been wrapped around the lower handle at one time, leaving traces behind but no legible inscription [RTS 13/5/2005].
Written on object - SUDAN ?SHILLUK TRIBE. Coll. in 1923. d.d. E.W. Russell 1965.12.119 [RTS 6/4/2005].
