Dinka Tuich spoon
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.57
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal Dhangrial
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Mussel Shell , Mother of Pearl Shell
Dimensions:
L = 96.7 mm, W = 48 mm, Ht = 11 mm, Th = 1 mm [RTS 28/6/2004].
Weight:
18.6 g
Local Name:
thial [tial]
Other Owners:
Purchased by Patti Langton for 30 piastres on 17th 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:
17 February 1979
Description:
Spoon or small scoop made from one half of a bivalve shell (probably oyster or mussel), separated from its paired shell at the hinge but not obviously modified in any other way.
The object is oval in plan view, with a convex underside that has a translucent caramel colour and more opaque dark brown coloured surface (Pantone 464C and 439C).
This has flaked off around the apex, exposing the opaque white and opalescent pinkish colour of the underlying mother-of-pearl (Pantone 7415C).
The surface is weathered along one side, with the remainder of the outer surface having a polished appearance, which may be naturally occurring.
The interior hollow is concave, and made of the natural pinkish purple mother-of-pearl lining of the shell.
The object is complete, apart from the surface damage mentioned above and some edge damage.
It is 96.7 mm long, 48 mm wide and 11 mm high; the shell itself is around 1 mm thick near the edges, with a weight of 18.6 grams.
Purchased by Patti Langton at Dhangrial for 30 piastres on 17th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. 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 said to have been found in the river and used as a spoon; its local name is thial. This is probably the same term as Nebel's Tial, plural tiet, which he defines as a ‘smaller shell, spoon’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 82).
For a slightly larger shell of the same type, used as a ladle, see 1979.20.58. The Anuak also utilise shells as spoons (see 1936.10.40-42, or variant form with serrated end, 1936.10.44-45). The Anuak shells are described as 'mussel shells' by Evans-Pritchard; they appear to be the same type as found here and that is probably the correct identification.
Rachael Sparks 20/08/2005.
Purchased by Patti Langton at Dhangrial for 30 piastres on 17th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. 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 said to have been found in the river and used as a spoon; its local name is thial. This is probably the same term as Nebel's Tial, plural tiet, which he defines as a ‘smaller shell, spoon’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 82).
For a slightly larger shell of the same type, used as a ladle, see 1979.20.58. The Anuak also utilise shells as spoons (see 1936.10.40-42, or variant form with serrated end, 1936.10.44-45). The Anuak shells are described as 'mussel shells' by Evans-Pritchard; they appear to be the same type as found here and that is probably the correct identification.
Rachael Sparks 20/08/2005.
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 [insert] (the collectors) [end insert] were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p.
193] 1979.20.57 Oyster shell found in the river and used as a spoon,
thial
.
L = 9.7 cm.
Coll.
in Dhangrial, 17.2.79.
30 pt.
Coll.
no.
123.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-18.
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].
Written on object - 123 [pencil; once on inside face, once on outside face]; S. SUDAN DINKA Pat Langton coll., no. 123, 1979.20.57 [ink; RTS 28/6/2004].
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-18.
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].
Written on object - 123 [pencil; once on inside face, once on outside face]; S. SUDAN DINKA Pat Langton coll., no. 123, 1979.20.57 [ink; RTS 28/6/2004].
