Dinka Tuich roulette
Accession Number:
1979.20.125
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Grass Fibre Plant
Process:
Twisted
Dimensions:
L = 160 mm, W = 2 mm, Th = 1.8 mm, diam strand = 1.5 mm [RTS 28/5/2004].
Weight:
0.3 g
Other Owners:
Collected by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979, 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:
Roulette for decorating pottery, made from a long strand of twisted grass fibre, doubled over at the top and then the two ends twisted tightly around each other to form a solid length of slightly flexible cord, with the loose ends knotted together at the bottom.
The roulette is complete and in good condition, currently a pale yellow colour (Pantone 7508C).
It is 160 mm long, 2 mm wide and 1.8 mm thick, while the original twisted grass strand has a diameter of 1.5 mm; the object weighs 0.3 grams.
Collected by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan. The actual collection place was not recorded, but will be either Dhangrial, Wun Rog or Mayen, in the 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.
For a similar plaited grass roulette, see 1979.20.126. Grass roulettes of different design are also used by the Moru Misa (1979.20.28, 1979.20.27) and Northern Larim (1979.20.149).
Rachael Sparks 29/8/2005.
Collected by Patti Langton between 17th and 26th February 1979, as part of the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the southern Sudan. The actual collection place was not recorded, but will be either Dhangrial, Wun Rog or Mayen, in the 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.
For a similar plaited grass roulette, see 1979.20.126. Grass roulettes of different design are also used by the Moru Misa (1979.20.28, 1979.20.27) and Northern Larim (1979.20.149).
Rachael Sparks 29/8/2005.
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.
203] 1979.20.125, [1979.20] .126 [1 of] Two grass pottery roulettes.
Coll.
no.
290.
Not on list.
[1979.20].125 Twisted; L = 16 cm.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number 1979.20.125, 126 in red biro] - A5-F33-4.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 5/4/2004].
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. This object appears on Langton's list only as a pencilled addition, titled 'extra Dinka (not on Pat's list, but on packing list)' [RTS 12/1/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number 1979.20.125, 126 in red biro] - A5-F33-4.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 5/4/2004].
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. This object appears on Langton's list only as a pencilled addition, titled 'extra Dinka (not on Pat's list, but on packing list)' [RTS 12/1/2004].
