Southern Larim necklet

1979.20.191

Sudan

[Southern Sudan] Eastern Equatoria Loryok

Southern Larim

Unidentified young girl

By March 1979

Giraffe Hair Animal

Wound , Tied

Max L = 126 mm Max W = 120 mm Max L [inside] = 110 mm Max W [inside] = 106 mm Max L [grips] = 20 mm Max W [grips] = 14.3 mm Max Th [grips] = 4 mm Max Diam [strands] = < 1 mm [RTS ].

4.1 g

Purchased by Jill Goudie for 50 piastres from the base camp at Loryok for the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan, headed by Patti Langton, between 20th and 25th March 1979 [RTS 12/5/2004].

Jill Goudie

Patti Langton

Purchased 1979

20 - 25 March 1979

Annular necklet, made from four groups of around eight strands each of wiry black giraffe hair (Pantone black 6C), bent into a roughly circular loop. Each group is held in place by a series of four oval 'grips'. The grips are made of several short strands of giraffe hair, bent into an oval and wound round with similar hair at either short end, keeping the strands in place and forming a rigid frame. Four further bundles of hair stretch across the width of each oval and are looped over the frame at either side. These each have a single hair wound around their centres to form a tight cylinder. The strand groups that make up the body of the necklace pass through the underside of each of these cylinders, compressing the strands as they pass through. This keeps each group in place, with two of these grips able to slide up and down the strands as required. The body of the necklet has been twisted twice, on opposite sides; this was probably done deliberately for decorative effect. The ends of the neck loop are not visible, but may be concealed under the grips, or even wound around as part of one of them. It is not clear how this necklace was put on, as it is too small to pass over the head in its current form. Perhaps by sliding the oval grips the diameter of the necklace can be increased enough to allow it to pass over the owners head, after which it could be tightened to create a better fit. The object is complete, with some dirt adhering to the oval grips. It measures 126 by 120 mm across its outside edges, and 110 by 106 across its inside edges; the oval grips are 20 mm long, 14.3 mm wide and 4 mm thick. Each strand is less than 1 mm in diameter. Giraffe hair is a very light material; the necklet weighs only 4.1 grams.

Purchased by Jill Goudie at Loryok for 50 piastres, sometime between 20th and 25th March 1979, as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan, headed by Patti Langton. She did not record the Southern Larim name for this type of object.

This neck ornament was both made and worn by a young girl. The giraffe hair was said to have been traded from far away. It has been made in a similar way to Lotuko necklet 1934.8.72, and Zande bracelet 1934.8.141.

Rachael Sparks 8/9/2005.

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 alootment of the collection do not appear on her list and have been added here. See Related Documents file as well. [p. 204] 1979.20.136 - 193 SOUTHERN SUDAN the LARIM The Larim live about 50 miles west of Kapoeta in the eastern corner of S. Sudan. They are a non-Nilotic pastoral people, living in permanent mountain villages. They are part of the Didinga-Longarim-Murle language group. They live in the Boya Hills - Boya is the Topasa (neighbouring group) name for the Larim, which is also used by the Administration. Longarim is the Didinga's name for them but they call themselves the Larim, and that is used here. [p. 205] The LARIM The collection was made in two parts. The "PL" labelled material was collected during Pat Langton's stay in a village in the Northern Larim area. The "∆" labelled material was collected by Jill Goudie, one of the archaeologists on the Expedition, from the base camp LARYOK, among the Southern Larim. Money is known among the Larim but it is used only for buying beads for women from Kapoeta, or for the few members of the group who would go to Juba. The women especially were more interested in exchange gifts of salt, cloth & soap. The Larim material is documented in three parts: a) General Larim pieces - no information as to which section of the Larim it comes from b) the "PL" Collection from the Northern Larim, from three of the eight Northern Larim clans c) the Southern Larim material collected by Jill Goudie, numbered "∆". [p. 210] 1979.20.163 - 193 SOUTHERN LARIM: Collected by Jill Goudie between 20.3 and 25.3.79 [p. 213] 1979.20.191 Giraffe hair necklace made and worn by a young girl. The giraffe hair was said to have been traded from far away. Diam = 12.6 cm. Coll. no. ∆45; cost 50 pt. Not on list.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F36-21.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribal catalogue card [RTS 26/5/2004].

Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, Sudan, Loryok Southern Larim Giraffe Hair necklace worn by Young Girl Purchased P. LANGTON ∆45 [Triangle with '45' inside] 1979.20.191 [EC 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 10/10/2005]