Dinka Tuich ring-pad
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.49
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal Dhangrial
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Grass Fibre Plant , Bast Fibre Bark Plant
Process:
Bound , Plaited
Dimensions:
Outer diam = 160 mm, inside diam = 65 by 55 mm, th = 59.5 mm, W strips = 3 to 4 mm, L cord loop = 125 mm, W cord = 3 mm [RTS 11/8/2004].
Weight:
154.4
Local Name:
koitch
Other Owners:
Purchased by Patti Langton for 50 piastres on 18th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan [RTS 15/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Patti Langton
PRM Source:
Patti Langton
Acquired:
Purchased 1979
Collected Date:
18 February 1979
Description:
Circular ring-pad made from bundles of grass gathered together and bent into a loop, then strengthened with an outer rib made from plaited plant fibre strips that runs around the centre of the outside edge of the object.
The two ends of this rib meet and are knotted together, before continuing from the top of the ring as a suspension loop.
The grass core and outer rib were fastened together by winding narrow strips of yellow bast (Pantone 7402C) and grayish brown bast (Pantone 7532C) around the body at right angles, with each binding strip coming up the outside face, wrapping once around the rib, then continuing around the inside face of the ring.
The grayish brown strips are limited to a small section of the ring, directly opposite the suspension loop.
The ring-pad is essentially complete, but some of the strip binding is fraying and some strips are broken along their length.
It has a weight of 154.4 grams, has an outer diameter of 160 mm and a thickness of 59.5 mm, while the central hole measures 65 by 55 mm.
The bast strips range from 3 to 4 mm in width, and the cord loop is 125 mm long and 3 mm wide.
Purchased by Patti Langton at Dhangrial for 50 piastres on 18th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. Dhangrial is located within 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 was made of thieth grass, and is called koitch by the Dinka. It has been made in a similar technique to 1936.10.49, an Anuak ring-pad collected by Evans-Pritchard.
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, Case 26A.
Rachael Sparks 15/9/2005.
Purchased by Patti Langton at Dhangrial for 50 piastres on 18th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. Dhangrial is located within 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 was made of thieth grass, and is called koitch by the Dinka. It has been made in a similar technique to 1936.10.49, an Anuak ring-pad collected by Evans-Pritchard.
Currently on display in the Upper Gallery, Case 26A.
Rachael Sparks 15/9/2005.
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.
192] 1979.20.49 Headring,
koitch
, made of
thieth
grass.
Diam.
= 15.5 cm.
Coll.
by P[atti]L[angdon] in Dhangrial, 18.2.79; 50 pt.
Coll.
no.
91.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-28.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
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 [RTS 12/1/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-28.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 6/4/2004].
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 [RTS 12/1/2004].
