Zande bowl
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1970.38.6
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Western Equatoria near Yambio
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Wood Plant , Pigment
Process:
Carved , Incised , Decorated , Stained , Polished
Dimensions:
Ht = 180, rim L across top legs = 328, W = 285; mouth diam = 227 x 237; leg W = 141.4, th = 29.2; base plate L = 327, = 180, th = 25.7 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:
Bowl carved from a single block of wood and consisting of a narrow flat upright rim on a shallow hemispherical body with convex base, the sides of which have been horizontally shaved to form 3 concave-sided facets.
This is suspended between 2 rectangular supports that extend out from either side of the rim and then vertically downwards.
The feet have a flat upper surface and flat sides, shaved down the corners to create bevelled edges.
A deep lentoid-shaped hollow has been cut into the centre of each foot, running down its outer face.
At their bases, these feet join onto a solid plate that serves as a stable base for the vessel; this has been cut with flat upper and lower surfaces and sides and swells out at the centre of either long side to mirror the curve of the bowl body above.
The area between base, feet and bowl underside has been completely hollowed out.
The wood is a yellowish brown colour (Pantone 729C), but has been stained a dark brownish black throughout (Pantone black 4C) and then polished to a high gloss.
It has been decorated across the flat upper surfaces of rim and foot, with an incised design consisting of pairs of wavy lines across the rim, with an obliquely hatched semicircle flanking the mouth on either side; this hatching is picked up on the top of the feet, which are divided into 2 squares, flanked by hatched areas on either side and divided internally into quadrants, with opposing triangular quadrants themselves also hatched.
The bowl is complete, but worn on the edges of rim and base, where the original colour of the wood is now visible.
There are also some minor cuts across the surface.
It has a weight in access of 1000 grams and is 180 mm high.
The rim has an external diameter of 285 mm and a mouth diameter of 227 by 237 mm; it measures 328 mm in length between the top of the legs, which are 141.4 mm wide and 29.2 mm thick; the base plate is 327 mm long, 180 mm wide and 25.7 mm thick.
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 bowls with similarly shaved bodies, see 1948.2.140 and 1966.25.1; for Zande bowls with flat base plates of similar type, see 1966.25.1 and 1970.38.7.
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 bowls with similarly shaved bodies, see 1948.2.140 and 1966.25.1; for Zande bowls with flat base plates of similar type, see 1966.25.1 and 1970.38.7.
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.
Food bowl carved from a single block of wood so that the block is suspended between two upright supports.
Ht.
17.5 cm.
Diam of bowl = 22.5 cm.
Max length incl[uding] supports, 32.5 cm.
Decorated with incised lines on rim and top of supports.
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. 1970.38.1 - 12 Purchased by grant aid from the MCG/ V+A purchase grant fund. [p. 291, red biro] - 70.11.7.
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 bowl is suspended between two upright supports. Height: 17 1/2 cm. Diameter of bowl: 22 1/2 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 - 1970.38.6. 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 16/5/2005].
Written on object - SUDAN AZANDE 1970.38.6 [white ink on base; RTS 16/5/2005].
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. 1970.38.1 - 12 Purchased by grant aid from the MCG/ V+A purchase grant fund. [p. 291, red biro] - 70.11.7.
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 bowl is suspended between two upright supports. Height: 17 1/2 cm. Diameter of bowl: 22 1/2 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 - 1970.38.6. 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 16/5/2005].
Written on object - SUDAN AZANDE 1970.38.6 [white ink on base; RTS 16/5/2005].
