Dinka Tuich beer strainer
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1979.20.83
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Northern Bahr el Ghazal ?Dhangrial ?Wun Rog ?Mayen
Cultural Group:
Dinka Tuich
Date Made:
By 1979
Materials:
Palm Leaf Plant , Plant Fibre
Process:
Basketry , Woven , Twill , Twisted , Knotted Bound , Stuffed
Dimensions:
L = 465, rim diam ext. = 82.5 x 77.5, rim diam int. = 65 x 63; max W = 130, base diam = 71, fibre strip W = 3 mm [RTS 20/9/2005].
Weight:
208.2 g (with stuffing)
Local Name:
dhiem
Other Owners:
Purchased by Patti Langton for £1 on 21st 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:
21 February 1979
Description:
Basketry beer strainer made from narrow yellow palm leaf strips (Pantone 7508C).
This consists of a narrow oval mouth, formed over a fibre core that has been bent into a loop and bound vertically round with these strips, and woven into a second, lower ring, similarly bound.
This forms a solid, upright rim, which has been woven into the body of the vessel.
This body has been tightly woven in a bias (i.e.: diagonal) twill, in an over-two, under-two pattern.
This has a high rounded shoulder, as it expands below the rim, then an elongated body that tapers in towards the base, where the fibre strips have been gathered together at the bottom, partially plaited together, and secured with two sections of twisted fibre cord - probably made from the same material as the basket.
It is roughly oval in plan view.
The strainer has been stuffed with fibre strips, probably done in Sudan to allow the vessel to keep its shape during transportation.
Apart from a reddish stain on the walls, the object is very clean looking and has probably never been used.
It has a weight of 208.2 grams, including the stuffing, and is 456 mm long, with an external rim diameter of 82.8 by 77.5 mm and internal diameter of 65 by 63 mm; it has a width of 130 mm across the shoulders and 71 mm at the base; the fibre strips are around 3 mm wide.
Purchased by Patti Langton for £1 on 21st February 1979, as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. The exact place of purchase is not given, but it would have been obtained at Dhangrial, Wun Rog or Mayen, 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 strainer was made by men, and used for straining beer; its Dinka Tuich name is recorded as dhiem, which may be the same term as ‘Dhiim’, which Nebel defines as ‘filter'; see also the phrase dhiim mòu, 'to brew beer' (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 28). The manufacture of beer is carried out only by women.
Similar types of woven bag are used by numerous other groups to strain beer, including the Acholi, the Lango and the Kakwa (M. Trowell & K.P. Wachsmann, 1953, Tribal Crafts of Uganda, pp 165-6, pl. 39o); see also 1936.10.48, from the Anuak.
Rachael Sparks 20/9/2005.
Purchased by Patti Langton for £1 on 21st February 1979, as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. The exact place of purchase is not given, but it would have been obtained at Dhangrial, Wun Rog or Mayen, 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 strainer was made by men, and used for straining beer; its Dinka Tuich name is recorded as dhiem, which may be the same term as ‘Dhiim’, which Nebel defines as ‘filter'; see also the phrase dhiim mòu, 'to brew beer' (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 28). The manufacture of beer is carried out only by women.
Similar types of woven bag are used by numerous other groups to strain beer, including the Acholi, the Lango and the Kakwa (M. Trowell & K.P. Wachsmann, 1953, Tribal Crafts of Uganda, pp 165-6, pl. 39o); see also 1936.10.48, from the Anuak.
Rachael Sparks 20/9/2005.
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 [insert] (the collectors) [end insert] were offering money, the Dinka in surrounding compounds came daily, increasing prices as often as they could! [p.
197] 1979.20.83 Beer strainer,
dhiem
, made of palm leaf by men.
Beer is made only by women.
Total L = 47.5 cm.
Coll.
21.2.79; £1.
Coll.
no.
193.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F33-6 A5-F34-30.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 03/03/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - S. SUDAN, DINKA TUICH. Beer strainer. Pat Langton coll., no. 193. 1979.20.83 [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 20/9/2005].
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-F33-6 A5-F34-30.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 03/03/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - S. SUDAN, DINKA TUICH. Beer strainer. Pat Langton coll., no. 193. 1979.20.83 [plastic label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 20/9/2005].
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].
