Lotuko [Otuho] shaft-straightener

Other views of this artifact:

Accession Number:

1940.12.625

Country:

Sudan

Region:

[Southern Sudan] Bahr el Jebel? Eastern Equatoria?

Cultural Group:

Lotuko [Otuho]

Date Made:

By 1940

Materials:

Ebony Wood Plant

Process:

Carved , Perforated

Dimensions:

L = 270, max W = 48.2, th = 22.2; opening L = 50, W = 20 mm [RTS 28/6/2005].

Weight:

164 g

Local Name:

Kwit

Other Owners:

Presumably collected by Charles Gabriel Seligman and his wife Brenda Zara Seligman while conducting research in the Southern Sudan. They entered Lokoiya and Lotuko territory in January 1922, with their itinerary including visits to the Bellinian rest hous

Field Collector:

? Charles Gabriel Seligman & ?Brenda Zara Seligman

PRM Source:

Charles Gabriel Seligman or Brenda Zara Seligman

Acquired:

Donated 1940

Collected Date:

By 1940

Description:

Shaft straightener carved from a single piece of wood. This has a point at the upper end, with the surface of this cut at an angle on one side. The body swells out slightly below, before tapering in to a narrow, roughly rounded base. A large oval hole has been cut through the body at its widest point, with the surface of the wood sloping down towards the opening at its top and bottom ends on both sides. A wooden shaft would be fitted through this hole, and rubbed along these sloping areas to finish its surface. They are much smoother than the rest of the straightener from the resulting use-wear, which is visible on both faces of the object. The object is essentially complete, but cracks are developing along the grain of the wood, and there are a few splinters missing from the lower end. Tool marks are visible all over the surface, largely in the form of facets where the wood has been shaved down. It has a variable colour, of dark brown (Pantone black 4C) banded with a lighter orangey brown colour (Pantone 729C). The object has a weight of 164 grams and is 270 mm long, with a maximum width of 48.2 mm and thickness of 22.2 mm, and an opening that measures 50 by 20 mm across.

This object was amongst material donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1940, from the collection of Charles Gabriel Seligman and his wife Brenda Zara Seligman. It was collected by them from the Lotuko while conducting research in the Southern Sudan during 1922. Although they do not specify the provenance of the object, their personal diaries provide a record of their movements, showing that they entered Lokoiya and Lotuko territory in January 1922, with their itinerary including visits to the Bellinian rest house (11th-13th), a resthouse on the Mongalla-Torit road (14th), Ngala and Hangare Lokoiya (15th), Lokoiya (17th), Lokila (18th), Lobula (19th), Torit (20-23rd), Lebalwa (24th), Tarangala (25th January to 4th February), Idumela and Lugurn (4th February), Lopi (6th), Kiri Kiak (7th), Legoprof (10-16th), Lopir and Lomu (16th), Losua village (17th) and then back to Torit on February 20th. After that, they ventured into Acholi territory, then back into Torit and the surrounding area from March 5th to around March 15th (based on information collected by Fran Larson from the unpublished diaries of C.G. and B.Z. Seligman, in the Archives of the London School of Economics, Seligman manuscripts, files 1/4/1 and 1/4/6).

This tool could be used for straightening the shafts of arrows or spears. For similar objects, see 1922.25.1 and 1940.12.624 (Lotuko), 1929.47.2 (Rumbek Jur) and 1940.12.623 (from the Bari).

Rachael Sparks 27/9/2005.

Primary Documentation:

Accession Book Entry [p. 468] The late Professor C.G. SELIGMAN, M.D., F.R.S. Miscellaneous collection presented in part by himself, June, 1940, and in part, after his death, by Mrs B.Z. Seligman, October, 1940. [p. 503] 1940.12.625 [drawing], [p. 504] 1940.12.625 - Ditto [“Wooden lever for straightening spear-shafts, kwit ”], 10 1/2 ins long, made of same wood [“dark hard wood, ?ebony”], same data [“LOTUKO, MONGALLA PROV., A.E. SUDAN”].

Card Catalogue Entry - The tribes catalogue card repeats the above entry, but states that it is for straightening arrow shafts, and that it is 'similar to 1940.12.624' [RTS 1/6/2004].

Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan. Lotuko tribe. Wooden shaft straightener. d.d. C.G. Seligman, 1940. 1940.12.625 [plastic coated label, tied to object; RTS 28/6/2005].

Written on object - Lever for straightening spear-shafts. LOTUKO, MONGALLA PROV., A.E. SUDAN. d.d. Dr C.G. Seligman, 1940.12.625 [white ink; RTS 28/6/2005].