Dinka Tuich club
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.117
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved , Polished
Dimensions:
L = 800 mm; head L = 138.7, W = 63.5, th = 60.6; decorative flange W = 47, th = 46; butt W = 18.5, th = 18 mm [RTS 10/5/2005].
Weight:
694 g
Local Name:
nuer [nueer]
Other Owners:
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) (then at the Museum of Mankind) for 75 piastres on 26th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, headed by Patti Langton [RTS 14/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Brian John Mack (known as John Mack), Museum of Mankind
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
26 February 1979
Description:
Throwing club carved from a single piece of wood, consisting of a narrow cylindrical flat-topped head with straight sides and slightly oval section, cut flat at its base and offset from a tapering handle, the upper part of which swells out slightly and has been carved with 2 deep grooves around its circumference, creating decorative flanging, before the shaft tapers back in and down to a narrow flat butt.
The wood is a yellowish brown colour (Pantone 7509C), and has been polished everywhere except on the top and base surfaces.
It is complete, with a split running near the base of the handle, and some smaller cracks along the body; there are also 2 small areas of impact damage at the base of the head and immediately below it on one of the flanges.
It has a weight of 694 grams and is 800 mm long; the head section is 138.7 mm long, 63.5 mm wide and 60.6 mm thick; the decorative flange is 47 mm wide and 46 mm thick, while the butt measures 18.5 by 18 mm in diameter.
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) for 75 piastres on 26th February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, directed by Patti Langton. The exact place of collection was not specified, but it probably came from Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie within 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 object is known as nuer, which Nebel defines as a ‘club with ball-shaped head’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 62). It was a throwing weapon, once used as part of a man’s equipment for hunting wild animals. It is no longer used.
Rachael Sparks 25/9/2005.
Purchased by Brian John Mack (known as John Mack) for 75 piastres on 26th February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan, directed by Patti Langton. The exact place of collection was not specified, but it probably came from Dhangrial, Wun Rog, or Mayen, all of which lie within 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 object is known as nuer, which Nebel defines as a ‘club with ball-shaped head’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 62). It was a throwing weapon, once used as part of a man’s equipment for hunting wild animals. It is no longer used.
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.
202] 1979.20.117 Wooden knobkerry,
nuer
, reputedly for throwing.
This type is no longer used, but was once part of the equipment for hunting wild animals.
L = 80 cm.; Diam.
head = 6 cm.
Coll.
by J.
Mack, 26.2.79; 75 pt.
Coll.
no.
306.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-17.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 3/3/2004].
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, 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].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - S. SUDAN DINKA TUICH. Knobkerry, Nuer . Pat Langton Coll., 306. 1979.20.117 [plastic tag with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 6/4/2005].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F34-17.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 3/3/2004].
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, 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].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - S. SUDAN DINKA TUICH. Knobkerry, Nuer . Pat Langton Coll., 306. 1979.20.117 [plastic tag with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 6/4/2005].
