Oil lamp
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1985.24.12 .1 .2
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Bahr el Jebel Yei
Date Made:
By 1984
Materials:
Aluminium Metal
Process:
Recycled , Hammered , Bent , Soldered , Printed
Dimensions:
H = 112, nozzle diam = 8.1, stopper diam = 20.5, neck diam = 21.5, shoulder diam = 85, base diam = 85.5, handle W = 8.1, handle L = 26 mm [RTS 3/11/2004].
Weight:
56.1 g
Other Owners:
Purchased in Yei market between July and September 1984 by members of the Lutaya Expedition [RTS 3/11/2004].
Field Collector:
Lutaya Expedition
PRM Source:
Lutaya Expedition via B.E. Harrell-Bond
Acquired:
Purchased 1985
Collected Date:
July to September 1984
Description:
Oil lamp made in several parts from probably three different types of recycled aluminium containers, which have a base colour of metallic light grey (Pantone 877C).
One of these containers was originally for Johnson Super Raid pesticide, packaged for the Middle Eastern or African market, the second and third are unidentified but were probably some kind of food cans.
The upper part of the lamp has been cut from a rectangular strip of the pesticide can with the printed side facing inwards, and rolled into a narrow cylinder to form the lamp nozzle, which was inserted into a separate circular piece with a hole cut out in the centre. Below this, another, shorter strip has been rolled into a broad cylinder and soldered onto the underside of the disc to form a stoppered base. This has been made from a piece of the second type of container, printed with a white background and the partial words 'the [...]e of food' in red. As with the nozzle itself, the sheet has been rolled so the printing is on the inside of the object and not visible. This whole part then fits neatly into the top of the lamp body. The body itself has a short, narrow cylindrical neck made from another piece of rolled up metal, slightly wider in diameter than the nozzle stopper so that the latter fits snugly inside. This piece has been cut from a container with white background with red (Pantone 1795C) and blue (Pantone 281C) markings on it, with the design on the inside face. This was probably the same product that was used for the stopper, and also the handle (see below). The neck has been soldered onto a conical shoulder piece with central hole, which slopes gently downwards to the outside edge. This part was cut from a can of 'Super Raid', with the printed packaging on the visible upper face. This has a yellow background (Pantone 106C) with black writing in English: 'FLIES, MOSQUITOES/ [...ROA]CHES, INSTANTLY!/ [..ne]w Super Raid from Johnson with triple killing/ [...] It has been specially formulated to give / [...maxim]um killing power against all flying and/ [...in]sects. Johnson is your best guarantee/ [fl]ies, mosquitoes and other [...]. Purple boxes (Pantone 259C) are also set onto this background, one of which has the edges of further writing, in white: [...]E/ [...]G/ [...R].
Finally, there is a white insert with scalloped edges and black writing, this time in Arabic, with an image of a dead fly and a dead cockroach, and the edges of a smaller, similar insert to one side. The shoulder has been soldered onto the lower half of a can - possibly some kind of food container, with patches of solder visible in places. This has no printing across the surface; however there are some surface markings that look like traces of label glue. It has a seam down one side, and a shallow ring base, with 3 raised concentric rings on the underside, and the word 'KENYA' stamped across the centre. A thin strip of aluminium, also cut from a container with white background and blue markings, has been bent into a loop and soldered to the edge of the shoulder and midway down the body to form a vertical strap handle on one side. The lamp is complete, with some surface rust. It has a weight of 56.1 grams and is 112 mm high. The nozzle has a diameter of 8.1 mm, and a stopper diameter of 20.5 mm, while the neck diameter is 21.5 mm, the shoulder measures 85 mm across, and the base is 85.5 mm in diameter. The strap handle is 8.1 mm wide and 26 mm long. The interior smells slightly of paraffin.
Purchased in Yei market sometime between July and September 1984 by the Lutaya Expedition, a seven-member research and support expedition from the Third World Society of Oxford University, to settlements for Ugandan refugees from West Nile Province, Uganda.
For other oil lamps made from recycled containers, see 1985.24.11-14. These have all been made in the same way, and can be compared with 1998.9.7, a toy aeroplane made from recycled aluminium and incorporating a lamp nozzle of the type seen here. Note that none of these lamps have been provided with wicks.
This object is currently on display in the Court, case 141A.
Rachael Sparks 17/9/2005.
The upper part of the lamp has been cut from a rectangular strip of the pesticide can with the printed side facing inwards, and rolled into a narrow cylinder to form the lamp nozzle, which was inserted into a separate circular piece with a hole cut out in the centre. Below this, another, shorter strip has been rolled into a broad cylinder and soldered onto the underside of the disc to form a stoppered base. This has been made from a piece of the second type of container, printed with a white background and the partial words 'the [...]e of food' in red. As with the nozzle itself, the sheet has been rolled so the printing is on the inside of the object and not visible. This whole part then fits neatly into the top of the lamp body. The body itself has a short, narrow cylindrical neck made from another piece of rolled up metal, slightly wider in diameter than the nozzle stopper so that the latter fits snugly inside. This piece has been cut from a container with white background with red (Pantone 1795C) and blue (Pantone 281C) markings on it, with the design on the inside face. This was probably the same product that was used for the stopper, and also the handle (see below). The neck has been soldered onto a conical shoulder piece with central hole, which slopes gently downwards to the outside edge. This part was cut from a can of 'Super Raid', with the printed packaging on the visible upper face. This has a yellow background (Pantone 106C) with black writing in English: 'FLIES, MOSQUITOES/ [...ROA]CHES, INSTANTLY!/ [..ne]w Super Raid from Johnson with triple killing/ [...] It has been specially formulated to give / [...maxim]um killing power against all flying and/ [...in]sects. Johnson is your best guarantee/ [fl]ies, mosquitoes and other [...]. Purple boxes (Pantone 259C) are also set onto this background, one of which has the edges of further writing, in white: [...]E/ [...]G/ [...R].
Finally, there is a white insert with scalloped edges and black writing, this time in Arabic, with an image of a dead fly and a dead cockroach, and the edges of a smaller, similar insert to one side. The shoulder has been soldered onto the lower half of a can - possibly some kind of food container, with patches of solder visible in places. This has no printing across the surface; however there are some surface markings that look like traces of label glue. It has a seam down one side, and a shallow ring base, with 3 raised concentric rings on the underside, and the word 'KENYA' stamped across the centre. A thin strip of aluminium, also cut from a container with white background and blue markings, has been bent into a loop and soldered to the edge of the shoulder and midway down the body to form a vertical strap handle on one side. The lamp is complete, with some surface rust. It has a weight of 56.1 grams and is 112 mm high. The nozzle has a diameter of 8.1 mm, and a stopper diameter of 20.5 mm, while the neck diameter is 21.5 mm, the shoulder measures 85 mm across, and the base is 85.5 mm in diameter. The strap handle is 8.1 mm wide and 26 mm long. The interior smells slightly of paraffin.
Purchased in Yei market sometime between July and September 1984 by the Lutaya Expedition, a seven-member research and support expedition from the Third World Society of Oxford University, to settlements for Ugandan refugees from West Nile Province, Uganda.
For other oil lamps made from recycled containers, see 1985.24.11-14. These have all been made in the same way, and can be compared with 1998.9.7, a toy aeroplane made from recycled aluminium and incorporating a lamp nozzle of the type seen here. Note that none of these lamps have been provided with wicks.
This object is currently on display in the Court, case 141A.
Rachael Sparks 17/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
68] - 1985.24 (.1 - 14) P[urchase] LUTAYA EXPEDITION, c/o B.
E.
HARRELL-BOND, ...
OXFORD.
A collection of items made by the Lutaya Expedition to YEI RIVER DISTRICT, EQUATORIA, SUDAN, 1984.
This was a seven-member research and support expedition from the Third World Society of Oxford University, to settlements for Ugandan refugees from West Nile Province, Uganda.
See Related Documents File for notes and field photographs.
".11 - 14 SUDAN - EQUATORIA - YEI.
[1 of] Four oil lamps, made from Heineken beer (.1) [1985.24.11], pesticide (.2) [1985.24.12], Greek orangeade (.3) [1985.24.13], and 'Africola' & powdered milk (.4) [1985.24.14] tins.
Bought in Yei market.
[...] .2: H = 110mm; dia = 85mm.
[initialled in right column] LMC.
Additional Accession Book Entry [p. 71, below the accession number in red biro] - A11-F16-12.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [MdeA].
RDF 1985.24, a typed document headed 'Lutaya Expedition to Yei River District, Equatoria, Sudan July-September 1984. Subheading: 'Third world First Society, Oxford University. A seven-member research and support expedition to settlements for Ugandan refugees from West Nile Province, Uganda'. A list follows, describing the objects collected; this appears as part of item 5: 'Four oil lamps. Provenance Yei market. Made from beer, soft drink, pesticide and milk tins'. Several black and white photographic prints are enclosed: boy with toy truck; female potter at work; male blacksmith making arrows at Limbe; men playing the adungu at Limbe [RTS 6/1/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA SUDAN EQUATORIA YEI, oil lamp Purch. Lutaya Expedition [tag, tied to object; RTS 3/11/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [p. 71, below the accession number in red biro] - A11-F16-12.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [MdeA].
RDF 1985.24, a typed document headed 'Lutaya Expedition to Yei River District, Equatoria, Sudan July-September 1984. Subheading: 'Third world First Society, Oxford University. A seven-member research and support expedition to settlements for Ugandan refugees from West Nile Province, Uganda'. A list follows, describing the objects collected; this appears as part of item 5: 'Four oil lamps. Provenance Yei market. Made from beer, soft drink, pesticide and milk tins'. Several black and white photographic prints are enclosed: boy with toy truck; female potter at work; male blacksmith making arrows at Limbe; men playing the adungu at Limbe [RTS 6/1/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA SUDAN EQUATORIA YEI, oil lamp Purch. Lutaya Expedition [tag, tied to object; RTS 3/11/2004].
Display History:
Currently on display with labels: SUDAN, EQUATORIA, YEI.
Lamp made from a recycled drinks can.
The can was made in Greece and imported into Sudan.
Purchased from the Lutaya Expedition via B.E.
Harrell-Bond.
1985.24.12 [Printed]; SUDAN - EQUATORIA - YEI.
Oil lamps made from drink cans, bought in YEI market by members of the Lutaya Expedition in 1984.
This was a research and support expedition from the Third World Society of Oxford University to settlements for Ugandan refugees [insert] 1985.24.12 [end insert] [typed; RTS 3/11/2004].
