Dinka Tuich collar
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.93
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Cattle Skin Animal , Animal Hide Skin
Process:
Plaited , Perforated , Tied , Burnished
Dimensions:
L = 268, W band = 52.3, th band = 8.7, diam loops ext. = 10, opening =250 by 150, tie strip W = 3.7 mm [RTS 2/12/2004].
Weight:
202.6 g
Local Name:
dier [dièr]
Other Owners:
Purchased by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979 for 75 piastres, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan [RTS 1/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Patti Langton
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
17 - 26 February 1979
Description:
Animal collar consisting of a rectangular band made of plaited hide strips in a 7-row herringbone design.
The body is made as 7 parallel sections, each composed of 2 narrow strips pierced by a series of lentoid holes along their length and woven in and out of each other through these holes, with the sections fastened together by a thin hide thong that interweaves horizontally across the body and is visible along the long side edges as a series of loops.
This creates a broad flat band with rectangular section.
This band finishes at either end with a row of small loops, 1 per row, through which a separate hide strip has been passed and tied off at one side; this would be used to fasten the collar around the cow's neck.
The collar is complete, but worn in places, and is a light brown colour (Pantone 7531C) that has been darkened in places by burnishing, visible on surface inside and out.
It has a weight of 202.6 grams, and is 268 mm long, 52.3 mm wide and 8.7 mm thick, with the end loops measuring 10 mm across.
The internal opening of the collar measures 250 by 150 mm across, and the hide tie strip has a width of 3.7 mm.
Purchased by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979 for 75 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 collar was made from the stomach of a cow, cleaned and cut into strips, and was used to suspend a bell from the neck of a bull. It is known in Dinka as dier; Nebel defines the term Dièr as ‘collar of a bull, to carry a bell’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 24); Powell-Cotton also uses the term, with the spelling dyere (See 1934.8.13). For a Nuer bullock collar made using similar techniques, see 1948.2.156, and also E.E. Evans-Pritchard, The Nuer, fig. 4.
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, Case 26A.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Purchased by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979 for 75 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 collar was made from the stomach of a cow, cleaned and cut into strips, and was used to suspend a bell from the neck of a bull. It is known in Dinka as dier; Nebel defines the term Dièr as ‘collar of a bull, to carry a bell’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 24); Powell-Cotton also uses the term, with the spelling dyere (See 1934.8.13). For a Nuer bullock collar made using similar techniques, see 1948.2.156, and also E.E. Evans-Pritchard, The Nuer, fig. 4.
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, Case 26A.
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 (the collectors) were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p.
198] 1979.20.93 Thong,
dier
, made from the skin of the stomach of a cow, cleaned and cut into strips.
Used to suspend a cowbell from the neck of a cow.
Total L = 68.5 cm [this appears to be the length when untied and stretched out, RTS 2/12/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-18, 19.
Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the accession book entry, but adds 'no Langton coll. number' [but see notes; RTS 19/2/2004].
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 - which gives the purchase cost of this item as 75 piasters and collection number 213 - and a handwritten list of objects by museum number, essentially repeating this information and annotated with PRM photo numbers in red. This handwritten list seems to be the direct source for the accession book entry [RTS 12/1/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - S. SUDAN DINKA TUICH. Belt for cowbell; dier . Pat Langton col., no. 213. 1979.20.93 [plastic tag with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 2/12/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-18, 19.
Card Catalogue Entry - The card repeats the accession book entry, but adds 'no Langton coll. number' [but see notes; RTS 19/2/2004].
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 - which gives the purchase cost of this item as 75 piasters and collection number 213 - and a handwritten list of objects by museum number, essentially repeating this information and annotated with PRM photo numbers in red. This handwritten list seems to be the direct source for the accession book entry [RTS 12/1/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - S. SUDAN DINKA TUICH. Belt for cowbell; dier . Pat Langton col., no. 213. 1979.20.93 [plastic tag with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 2/12/2004].
