Dinka Tuich ladle
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.52
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Gourd Plant
Process:
Hollowed , Dried , Decorated , Burnt , Pyroengraved Pokerwork
Dimensions:
Ht = 65, rim L with handle = 141, rim W = 125, rim th = 3 mm [RTS 25/3/2005].
Weight:
24.5 g
Local Name:
biny anyel
Other Owners:
Purchased by Patti Langton on 17th February 1979 for 25 piastres, as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan [RTS 15/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Patti Langton
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
17 February 1979
Description:
Gourd ladle consisting of a narrow flat-topped rim on a hemispherical body with convex base.
The rim is slightly compressed on one side with a narrow tapering handle extending from the rim opposite; this has a convex underside and a concave interior.
The upper part of the rim has been burnt black for decorative effect (Pantone black 7C).
The interior walls are a matt yellow colour (Pantone 466C), slightly dirty, while the exterior is a smooth orange (Pantone 7510C).
In a couple of areas traces of the original lighter outer skin of the gourd is preserved, but it has otherwise been stripped away.
On the exterior a heated blade has been used to incise a series of blackened decorative motifs around the upper body.
This consists of a thick band just below the rim, made up of 2 pairs of parallel lines with a row of paired >-shaped chevrons between.
This changes underneath the handle area, where the chevrons disappear, there is an additional pair of lines across the base of the handle and the top lines curve to follow its outer edges.
There is an additional narrow band below all of this, made up of 2 closely spaced lines.
The ladle is complete, except for a small area of damage on part of the rim where the burnt surface has lifted off.
It has a weight of 24.5 grams and is 65 mm high, 141 mm long, including the handle, and 125 mm wide; the rim is 3 mm thick.
Purchased by Patti Langton on 17th February 1979 for 25 piastres, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan. The place of collection was not specified, but would have been either Dhangrial, Wun Rog or Mayen, all of which like in the modern administrative district of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. For a map showing the distribution of Dinka Tuich groups, see J. Ryle, 1982, Warriors of the White Nile: The Dinka , p. 25.
This type of ladle is called biny anyel, and is used to drink water, milk or beer from a large container. The term biny translates as ‘cup, drinking glass’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 16), and anyäl, pl. anyel , means a gourd decorated with drawings (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 10).
Langton describes this method of decorating Dinka gourds in her entry for accession number 1979.20.91, with the pattern being marked out in charcoal, and then with a type of needle called a with (for this tool, which is made of iron, see 1979.20.59), which is then scored over using a heated spear or knife blade. The style of decoration on this particular example is comparable to that seen on 1979.20.51.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Purchased by Patti Langton on 17th February 1979 for 25 piastres, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan. The place of collection was not specified, but would have been either Dhangrial, Wun Rog or Mayen, all of which like in the modern administrative district of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. For a map showing the distribution of Dinka Tuich groups, see J. Ryle, 1982, Warriors of the White Nile: The Dinka , p. 25.
This type of ladle is called biny anyel, and is used to drink water, milk or beer from a large container. The term biny translates as ‘cup, drinking glass’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 16), and anyäl, pl. anyel , means a gourd decorated with drawings (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 10).
Langton describes this method of decorating Dinka gourds in her entry for accession number 1979.20.91, with the pattern being marked out in charcoal, and then with a type of needle called a with (for this tool, which is made of iron, see 1979.20.59), which is then scored over using a heated spear or knife blade. The style of decoration on this particular example is comparable to that seen on 1979.20.51.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
185] - 1979.20 (.1 - 206) P[urchase] MISS PATTI LANGTON, DEPT.
of ETHNOLOGY & PREHISTORY, OXFORD.
Collection made by Patti Langton during the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan; Jan.
- April 1979.
The collection was made in three culture areas during the dry season.
The amount paid for each object is listed if the information is known.
In Jan.
1979 £1 is equivalent to 95 piastres (pt.) Sudanese.
This documentation is based largely upon Patti's own list of objects and her notes on these.
Sometimes objects included in the Pitt Rivers alottment of the collection do not appear on her list and have been added here.
See Related Documents file as well.
[p.
191] 1979.20.43-135 SOUTHERN SUDAN the DINKA TUICH.
The Dinka Tuich, a pastoral people, live to the north of Wau, in Bahr el Ghazal province.
This collection was made mostly at Dhangrial, the archaeological site at which we camped.
Other artifacts were collected either at Wun Rog, a small town about a mile south of Dhangrial, or at Mayen, the new administrative centre 12 miles north.
This was a remote area, difficult of access and rarely visited by outsiders.
The Dinka are very aware of the potential of money, which is used either to help family members acquire education or entry into commerce and administration in Juba or Khartoum.
Once it was known we [insert] (the collectors) [end insert] were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p.
192] 1979.20.52
Biny anyel
[gourd ladle] similar to 1979.20.51; L = 14.2 cm.
Coll.
no.
102.
Additional Accession Book Entry [above accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-19.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
Related Documents File - 1979.20 contains a typed packing list, which has been annotated; a typed list of objects arranged by Langton collection numbers and with pencil and biro annotations; this object appears there as '102. 17.2.79. As 101. 25 pt', and a handwritten list of objects arranged by museum number and annotated with PRM photo numbers in red. This handwritten list seems to be the direct source for the accession book entry; in this case, both list and book entry do not include the collection date or price [RTS 12/1/2004].
Written on object - 102 [pencil]; S. SUDAN DINKA, P. Langton Coll. 102, 1979.20.52 [ink; RTS 23/3/2005].
Additional Accession Book Entry [above accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-19.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
Related Documents File - 1979.20 contains a typed packing list, which has been annotated; a typed list of objects arranged by Langton collection numbers and with pencil and biro annotations; this object appears there as '102. 17.2.79. As 101. 25 pt', and a handwritten list of objects arranged by museum number and annotated with PRM photo numbers in red. This handwritten list seems to be the direct source for the accession book entry; in this case, both list and book entry do not include the collection date or price [RTS 12/1/2004].
Written on object - 102 [pencil]; S. SUDAN DINKA, P. Langton Coll. 102, 1979.20.52 [ink; RTS 23/3/2005].
