Zande bowl
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1970.38.5
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Western Equatoria near Yambio
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Wood Plant , Pigment
Process:
Carved , Stained , Polished
Dimensions:
Ht = 260, rim diam ext. = 330 x 292, diam int. = 262 x 252, W between tops legs = 421; base legs = 132.5 x 103.5, max leg th. = 44 mm [RTS 16/5/2005].
Weight:
>1000g
Other Owners:
Probably collected by Evans-Pritchard himself during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930 [CM; RTS 6/7/2004].
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Purchased 1970, by grant aid from the MCG/ V&A purchase grant fund.
Collected Date:
1927 - 1930
Description:
Food bowl carved from a single block of wood and consisting of a narrow flat topped rim that slopes slightly in towards an ovoid mouth, on a hemispherical body with convex underside.
This rests between 2 vertical supports, which extend out on either side of the rim and then down, to create 2 feet.
These have a trapezoidal upper surface with 2 ridges that slope down to the outer edge, a narrow facet cut on either side, then an upright body with flat inner face, slightly concave sides splaying out towards the base, and bevelled down each edge, and a flat outside face with a deep, broad groove carved down the centre.
At the base, each support turns inwards slightly, where it connects to a flat rectangular foot, before turning up again to link with the bowl underside as 2 separate and slightly angled struts.
The wood is a yellowish brown colour (Pantone 7508C), stained brownish back over all surfaces except the underside of the feet (Pantone black 4C) and then polished.
The bowl is also decorated with an incised groove that runs around the upper body just below the rim.
It is complete, but has some surface damage on the bowl interior, and the wood has been eaten away by insects across parts of the feet.
One side of the mouth has been polished smooth, while the other is now roughly finished and appears to have suffered some damage.
It has a weight in excess of 1000 grams, and is 260 mm tall.
The rim measures 330 by 292 mm across its outer edges, and 262 by 252 mm across its mouth, while the maximum width across the tops of the legs is 421 mm; the legs measure 132.5 by 103.5 mm across their bases and have a maximum thickness of 44 mm.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard near Yambio during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
This type of bowl was used for food. Wooden bowls and stools were carved by specialist Zande craftsmen from several species of timber, when green, probably during the dry season, and were used by the people form whom they were acquired. The black staining and polishing was done by the owners themselves. For other Zande bowls of similar design, see 1970.38.7 and 1966.25.1, although all show variations in the treatment of the base.
Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.
Collected by Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard near Yambio during his fieldwork amongst the Zande, which took place during 1927, part of 1928 and 1929 and for several months during 1930.
This type of bowl was used for food. Wooden bowls and stools were carved by specialist Zande craftsmen from several species of timber, when green, probably during the dry season, and were used by the people form whom they were acquired. The black staining and polishing was done by the owners themselves. For other Zande bowls of similar design, see 1970.38.7 and 1966.25.1, although all show variations in the treatment of the base.
Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
- P[urchased].
Professor E.E.
Evans-Pritchard.
...
Headington, Oxford.
Collection of carved wooden objects obtained by him in the 1920’s.
- SUDAN, Near YAMBI VILLAGE, AZANDE TRIBE.
Food bowl carved from a single block of wood so that the handles curve down and then up to form supports for the bowl.
Diam of bowl 25 cm.
Max[imum] L[ength] incl[uding] handles 41.7 cm.
Ht.
24.5 cm.
Additional Accession Book Entry [page opposite 289] - Documents relating to purchase of collection in RDF. See file 001.10. Prof. Evans-Pritchard writes that these objects are carved by specialists and were in use by the people from whom they were acquired. Green timber is used and the work is most likely to be carried out in the dry season. Several species of timber are used. The black staining and polishing is done by the owners themselves. [page opposite 289] - 1970.38.1 - 12 Purchased by grant aid from the MCG/ V+A purchase grant fund. [p. 291, red biro] - 70.11.8.
Card Catalogue Entry - The catalogue card repeats the accession book entry, but adds 'Coll[ected] by Prof. E.E. Evans Pritchard in the 1920's. Purch[ased] from him [RTS 10/2/2004].
Related Documents File - 1970.38.1-12: letter dated 2 June 1970, from Evans-Pritchard to Bernard Fagg, Curator of the PRM, offering several Zande and Mangbetu specimens for sale; this is annotated with a reply, which was typed up as a letter sent on the 4th June 1970, arranging for them to be brought to the PRM for appraisal. Letter from Fagg to 'Billy' in Barnes, dated 24th July 1970, enclosing photographs of the objects and requesting an assessment of their value. Another letter from Fagg to Evans-Pritchard, dated 27th July 1970, with notes about the objects made after an earlier telephone conversation between the two, and requesting more information about them. The Zande material is described only as ' Azande the balance [e.g. the remaining items] - stools, food bowls, etc.'. There is also an annotated copy of this letter which has been corrected and updated, resumably after a reply was received. This states that the Zande material came from near Yambio Village, in the Sudan; that it was acquired in the 1920's, the items had been used by the people from whom they were acquired, that several types of timber were used, that the timber was carved when green, most likely during the dry season, that the carvers were specialists, and that the objects had been polished and stained by the owners themselves, not after purchase.
An application was made to the purchase grant fund, written on 11th September 1970, and sent the following day, concerning the purchase of these items. This provided an itemised list, in which this object appears as 'Azande food bowl carved from a single block of wood so that the handles curve down and then up to form supports for the bowl. Height: 24 1/2 cm. Diameter of bowl: 25 cm. A letter dated the 16th September, from Schuyler Jones (Assistant Curator of PRM) to Mr Dawes of the V&A added two further object descriptions which had been ommitted from the application by mistake. Fagg also wrote a letter to Hugh Wakefield, of the V&A Museum, dated 27th August 1970 requesting a grant in support of the purchase of these items; the reply, dated 30th September 1970, agrees to pay half the sum required; there is finally a direction dated 6th October 1970 for Barclays Bank to Pay Evans-Pritchard £120. The file also contains a copy of several black and white prints of the objects acquired [RTS 6/1/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - 1970.38.5. SUDAN, near YAMBI village, AZANDE. Food bowl. Coll. by Prof. E.E. Evans-Pritchard in the 1920's. Purch. from him [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 9/4/2005].
Written on object - SUDAN AZANDE 1970.38.5 [faint black ink on underside of foot] 1970.38.5 [white ink, bowl underside; RTS 9/4/2005].
Additional Accession Book Entry [page opposite 289] - Documents relating to purchase of collection in RDF. See file 001.10. Prof. Evans-Pritchard writes that these objects are carved by specialists and were in use by the people from whom they were acquired. Green timber is used and the work is most likely to be carried out in the dry season. Several species of timber are used. The black staining and polishing is done by the owners themselves. [page opposite 289] - 1970.38.1 - 12 Purchased by grant aid from the MCG/ V+A purchase grant fund. [p. 291, red biro] - 70.11.8.
Card Catalogue Entry - The catalogue card repeats the accession book entry, but adds 'Coll[ected] by Prof. E.E. Evans Pritchard in the 1920's. Purch[ased] from him [RTS 10/2/2004].
Related Documents File - 1970.38.1-12: letter dated 2 June 1970, from Evans-Pritchard to Bernard Fagg, Curator of the PRM, offering several Zande and Mangbetu specimens for sale; this is annotated with a reply, which was typed up as a letter sent on the 4th June 1970, arranging for them to be brought to the PRM for appraisal. Letter from Fagg to 'Billy' in Barnes, dated 24th July 1970, enclosing photographs of the objects and requesting an assessment of their value. Another letter from Fagg to Evans-Pritchard, dated 27th July 1970, with notes about the objects made after an earlier telephone conversation between the two, and requesting more information about them. The Zande material is described only as ' Azande the balance [e.g. the remaining items] - stools, food bowls, etc.'. There is also an annotated copy of this letter which has been corrected and updated, resumably after a reply was received. This states that the Zande material came from near Yambio Village, in the Sudan; that it was acquired in the 1920's, the items had been used by the people from whom they were acquired, that several types of timber were used, that the timber was carved when green, most likely during the dry season, that the carvers were specialists, and that the objects had been polished and stained by the owners themselves, not after purchase.
An application was made to the purchase grant fund, written on 11th September 1970, and sent the following day, concerning the purchase of these items. This provided an itemised list, in which this object appears as 'Azande food bowl carved from a single block of wood so that the handles curve down and then up to form supports for the bowl. Height: 24 1/2 cm. Diameter of bowl: 25 cm. A letter dated the 16th September, from Schuyler Jones (Assistant Curator of PRM) to Mr Dawes of the V&A added two further object descriptions which had been ommitted from the application by mistake. Fagg also wrote a letter to Hugh Wakefield, of the V&A Museum, dated 27th August 1970 requesting a grant in support of the purchase of these items; the reply, dated 30th September 1970, agrees to pay half the sum required; there is finally a direction dated 6th October 1970 for Barclays Bank to Pay Evans-Pritchard £120. The file also contains a copy of several black and white prints of the objects acquired [RTS 6/1/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - 1970.38.5. SUDAN, near YAMBI village, AZANDE. Food bowl. Coll. by Prof. E.E. Evans-Pritchard in the 1920's. Purch. from him [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 9/4/2005].
Written on object - SUDAN AZANDE 1970.38.5 [faint black ink on underside of foot] 1970.38.5 [white ink, bowl underside; RTS 9/4/2005].
