Zande bowl
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1970.38.9
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Western Equatoria near Yambio
Cultural Group:
Zande
Date Made:
By 1930
Materials:
Wood Plant , Pigment?
Process:
Carved , Hollowed , Incised , Stained , Polished , Decorated
Dimensions:
Ht = 137, Rim L = 320, rim W = 297; handles L = 158, max handle W = 57, W rim = 16, base L = 113, base W = 110 mm [RTS 22/3/2005].
Weight:
677.3 g
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:
Deep food bowl carved from a single piece of wood, and consisting of a narrow flat topped rim that widens on either side of the mouth to form 2 rectangular ledge handles, similarly flattened.
The outer edge of both handles and rim have been cut flat, forming an upright collar around the outside face, below which the walls flare in convexly to a narrow flat base, slightly oval in plan view.
With these handles, the bowl has an almost oval plan view; the interior however is circular and nearly hemispherical, flattening off slightly at the centre of its base.
Incised decoration has been added to the flat upper surface of either handle, with similar designs on either side consisting of a central motif of 2 hatched 'wings', next to 2 parallel lines that run parallel to the outside edge; these are flanked by 2 arcs, made of double lines filled with opposing groups of hatching.
Although there is a symmetry to the designs, there are some minor variations - one arc band is filled with simple hatching only, while the central motifs have been executed in quite different ways, one formed by long intersecting lines and arcs, the other formed by much shorter, jagged straight lines only.
The wood used is a orangey brown colour (Pantone 720C) that is still visible on the bowl interior; however the upper rim surface and bowl exterior have all been coloured a darker brown (Pantone black 7C) and polished; we are told this staining done by the owner, not the actual bowl maker. The bowl is complete, except for some minor chipping along the rim interior; a couple of bore holes in the rim may be the result of old insect activity. Tool marks are visible across the surface, particularly the outer walls, while the dark staining has worn off areas of the rim. The inside of the bowl has been stained with several splashes of some brown liquid material, as well as a patch of blackish sooting. The bowl has a weight of 677.3 grams and is 137 mm high (the height is not regular from one side of the rim to the other, as the bowl sits at a slight angle). The rim has a length of 320 mm and a width of 297 mm across, while the handles are 158 mm long and 57 mm wide; the rim is narrower, with a width of 16 mm. The base has a diameter of 113 by 110 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 may be the type of bowl that Larken describes as follows: "Shallow wooden bowls, kurungbu , usually oval, though sometimes circular, from six inches to two feet in length and half an inch thick, are universal. They may be smoothed on both sides, or the outside may be so trimmed that it presents a series of flat, narrow surfaces, running longitudinally, parallel with the grain of the wood. A small protuberance at either end is left as a handle, and the outside is wholly or partly blackened with a hot iron. These are used as platters" (P.M. Larken, 1927, "Impressions of the Azande", Sudan Notes and Records X, pp 131-132). Note that Larken suggests the blackening is caused by applying a heated tool to the surface, while Evans-Pritchard referred to ‘staining’ of the surface. A photograph taken by the latter shows the woodworker, Kisanga, staining a stool by applying a liquid from a clay pot boiling on a fire, and this is probably the method used in this instance as well (photograph 1998.316.1). Groups such as the Zaghawa, further north, apply a mixture of oil and soot, which also helps give the surface a glossy appearance (pers. comm. G.S. Reed 2005).
Wooden bowls and stools were carved by specialist Zande craftsmen from several species of green timber, probably during the dry season, and were used by the people from whom they were acquired. The black staining and polishing was supposedly done by the owners themselves.
Rachael Sparks 18/9/2005.
The wood used is a orangey brown colour (Pantone 720C) that is still visible on the bowl interior; however the upper rim surface and bowl exterior have all been coloured a darker brown (Pantone black 7C) and polished; we are told this staining done by the owner, not the actual bowl maker. The bowl is complete, except for some minor chipping along the rim interior; a couple of bore holes in the rim may be the result of old insect activity. Tool marks are visible across the surface, particularly the outer walls, while the dark staining has worn off areas of the rim. The inside of the bowl has been stained with several splashes of some brown liquid material, as well as a patch of blackish sooting. The bowl has a weight of 677.3 grams and is 137 mm high (the height is not regular from one side of the rim to the other, as the bowl sits at a slight angle). The rim has a length of 320 mm and a width of 297 mm across, while the handles are 158 mm long and 57 mm wide; the rim is narrower, with a width of 16 mm. The base has a diameter of 113 by 110 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 may be the type of bowl that Larken describes as follows: "Shallow wooden bowls, kurungbu , usually oval, though sometimes circular, from six inches to two feet in length and half an inch thick, are universal. They may be smoothed on both sides, or the outside may be so trimmed that it presents a series of flat, narrow surfaces, running longitudinally, parallel with the grain of the wood. A small protuberance at either end is left as a handle, and the outside is wholly or partly blackened with a hot iron. These are used as platters" (P.M. Larken, 1927, "Impressions of the Azande", Sudan Notes and Records X, pp 131-132). Note that Larken suggests the blackening is caused by applying a heated tool to the surface, while Evans-Pritchard referred to ‘staining’ of the surface. A photograph taken by the latter shows the woodworker, Kisanga, staining a stool by applying a liquid from a clay pot boiling on a fire, and this is probably the method used in this instance as well (photograph 1998.316.1). Groups such as the Zaghawa, further north, apply a mixture of oil and soot, which also helps give the surface a glossy appearance (pers. comm. G.S. Reed 2005).
Wooden bowls and stools were carved by specialist Zande craftsmen from several species of green timber, probably during the dry season, and were used by the people from whom they were acquired. The black staining and polishing was supposedly done by the owners themselves.
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.
Wooden food bowl, circular, with tapering sides (truncated cone).
Rim broadened on two sides and decorated there with incised curvilinear designs.
Diam.
of bowl 26 cm.
Max.
length at extensions 32.2 cm.
diam of base 11 cm.
Ht 14 cm.
Additional Accession Book Entry (page opposite 289) - Documents relating to purchase of collection in RDF.
Additional Accession Book Entry (opposite page 289) - 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.
Additional Accession Book Entry (opposite page 289) - 1970.38.1 - 12 Purchased by grant aid from the MCG/ V+A purchase grant fund. [p. 292, red biro] - 70.11.14.
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. Round with tapering sides. Diameter of bowl: 26 cm. Diameter of base: 11 cm. Height: 14 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].
Written on object - SUDAN, AZANDE, Evans-Pritchard coll. 1970.38.9 [white ink on base, RTS 17/3/2005].
Additional Accession Book Entry (page opposite 289) - Documents relating to purchase of collection in RDF.
Additional Accession Book Entry (opposite page 289) - 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.
Additional Accession Book Entry (opposite page 289) - 1970.38.1 - 12 Purchased by grant aid from the MCG/ V+A purchase grant fund. [p. 292, red biro] - 70.11.14.
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. Round with tapering sides. Diameter of bowl: 26 cm. Diameter of base: 11 cm. Height: 14 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].
Written on object - SUDAN, AZANDE, Evans-Pritchard coll. 1970.38.9 [white ink on base, RTS 17/3/2005].
