Bongo arm ornament
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1884.82.29
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Bongo
Date Made:
?Before 1878
Materials:
Iron Metal
Process:
Forged (Metal) , Hammered
Dimensions:
L = 73.5 mm, W = 57.3 mm, Diam = 3.5 mm [RTS 2/4/2004].
Weight:
13.1 g
Other Owners:
Part of John George Wood's collection of ethnographic objects made over several years in order to illustrate his book, The Natural History of Man (1868, see pp v-vi). It may have originally been derived from John Petherick's collection, but there is no di
PRM Source:
Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection
Acquired:
Donated 1884
Collected Date:
?Prior to 1878
Description:
Penannular ornament made of an iron rod, round in section, bent into a loop with open ends, 27 mm apart.
These ends are slightly tapered and rounded at the tips.
The surface is slightly flattened in places, and has been polished; it is currently a metallic gray colour (Pantone 422C).
The object is complete and intact.
It measures 73.5 by 57.3 mm across its outside edges, and 67 mm across the inside edge, the rod from which the object has been made has a diameter of 3.5 mm, and it weighs 13.1 grams.
Although described in the accession book as an anklet, this was probably worn around the wrist.
This object formed part of John George Wood's collection of ethnographic objects, made over several years in order to illustrate his book, The Natural History of Man (1868, see pp v-vi). It may have originally been derived from John Petherick's collection, much of which was auctioned in England in 1862. After coming to Pitt Rivers, it was delivered to South Kensington Museum in October 1878, and probably displayed at South Kensington Museum between 1881 and 1884, at which time it was transferred to become part of the founding collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum.
Petherick described Bongo women as follows: “Their ears, necks, and waists are profusely adorned with beads, and on their wrists they wear numerous iron bracelets. The ankles are encumbered with bright heavy iron rings, fully one inch thick; and these tinkling together as they dance produce a peculiarly fascinating sound” (J. Petherick, 1861, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa, p. 401). See also Wood: “ ... On their wrists they wear bracelets, made simply of iron bars cut to the proper length and bent round the wrist. Others but of greater dimensions encircle the ankles, and as some are fully an inch thick and quite solid their united weight is very considerable' (J.G. Wood, 1868, The Natural History of Man vol. I, p. 499).
Rachael Sparks 29/9/2005.
This object formed part of John George Wood's collection of ethnographic objects, made over several years in order to illustrate his book, The Natural History of Man (1868, see pp v-vi). It may have originally been derived from John Petherick's collection, much of which was auctioned in England in 1862. After coming to Pitt Rivers, it was delivered to South Kensington Museum in October 1878, and probably displayed at South Kensington Museum between 1881 and 1884, at which time it was transferred to become part of the founding collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum.
Petherick described Bongo women as follows: “Their ears, necks, and waists are profusely adorned with beads, and on their wrists they wear numerous iron bracelets. The ankles are encumbered with bright heavy iron rings, fully one inch thick; and these tinkling together as they dance produce a peculiarly fascinating sound” (J. Petherick, 1861, Egypt, The Sudan and Central Africa, p. 401). See also Wood: “ ... On their wrists they wear bracelets, made simply of iron bars cut to the proper length and bent round the wrist. Others but of greater dimensions encircle the ankles, and as some are fully an inch thick and quite solid their united weight is very considerable' (J.G. Wood, 1868, The Natural History of Man vol. I, p. 499).
Rachael Sparks 29/9/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book V entry
[p.
1]
-
[insert] 1884.82 [end insert]
PERSONAL ORNAMENTS
(contd from Vol.
IV)
METAL BANGLES, BRACELETS, ANKLETS
[insert] 29 [end insert] 95/8386 - Woman's penannular iron anklet [see below for reasons why this is probably misidentified as such, RTS 2/4/2004].
DOR, C.
AFRICA.
J.G.
Wood coll.
Additional Accession Book V entry [p. opposite 1] - v Nat Hist of Man. I. 499.
Collectors Miscellaneous XI Accession Book entry [p. 270] Woman's penannular iron anklet. DOR. C. AFRICA (N.H. of Man. 1.499) (P.R. 78/8386) [insert above '78'] 95? [end insert].
Delivery Catalogue II entry [p. 249] - Personal ornaments [p. 250] Anklet, iron, ?[4 or 9]5/ 8386, 74 [?Screen or case] 305.
'Green book' entry [p. 155] - South Kensington Receipts, 4 February 1881. Objects as per list attached, 5 pages, - the contents of two cases acknowledged to you on 1 October 1878 [see p. 71 of this volume]. On loan. [p. 157] [insert] 157.5429 [end insert]. 1 woman's iron anklet. [insert] 1884.82.29 (95) [end insert].
Card Catalogue Entry - The catalogue card repeats the accessions book entry, but has been annotated with the cross reference to Coll. Misc. XI p. 270 with note '78/8386), and the PR number given here of 95/8386 is annotated with '?78, ?98, sic in P.R.V.I'. [RTS 6/4/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Woman's iron penannular anklet. DOR. C. AFRICA. J.G. Wood coll. P.R. coll. (95/8386) [tied to object, RTS 1/4/2004] [reverse:] Ref[eren]ce Nat. Hist. of Man Vol I. 499. 1884.82.29 [EC 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 21/10/2005]
Additional Accession Book V entry [p. opposite 1] - v Nat Hist of Man. I. 499.
Collectors Miscellaneous XI Accession Book entry [p. 270] Woman's penannular iron anklet. DOR. C. AFRICA (N.H. of Man. 1.499) (P.R. 78/8386) [insert above '78'] 95? [end insert].
Delivery Catalogue II entry [p. 249] - Personal ornaments [p. 250] Anklet, iron, ?[4 or 9]5/ 8386, 74 [?Screen or case] 305.
'Green book' entry [p. 155] - South Kensington Receipts, 4 February 1881. Objects as per list attached, 5 pages, - the contents of two cases acknowledged to you on 1 October 1878 [see p. 71 of this volume]. On loan. [p. 157] [insert] 157.5429 [end insert]. 1 woman's iron anklet. [insert] 1884.82.29 (95) [end insert].
Card Catalogue Entry - The catalogue card repeats the accessions book entry, but has been annotated with the cross reference to Coll. Misc. XI p. 270 with note '78/8386), and the PR number given here of 95/8386 is annotated with '?78, ?98, sic in P.R.V.I'. [RTS 6/4/2004].
Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Woman's iron penannular anklet. DOR. C. AFRICA. J.G. Wood coll. P.R. coll. (95/8386) [tied to object, RTS 1/4/2004] [reverse:] Ref[eren]ce Nat. Hist. of Man Vol I. 499. 1884.82.29 [EC 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 21/10/2005]
Display History:
Displayed in Bethnal Green and South Kensington Museums (V&A) [AP]
