Imatong shield
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1940.7.089
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan] Eastern Equatoria Sunnat
Cultural Group:
[Imatong]
Date Made:
By 1940
Materials:
Rhino Skin Animal , Cat Skin Animal , Animal Hide Skin?
Process:
Moulded , Perforated , Stitched , Bound
Dimensions:
Shield body L = 208, W = 195, Ht = 68; innner lining L = 181, W = 167; inner handle L = 145, W = 18; hide strips making up handle W = 7, th = 2; hide body th = 4; hide stitching W = 4; loop handles L = 80, W = 7.2, th = 3 and L = 70, W = 5.8, th = 4.2 mm
Weight:
510.9 g
Other Owners:
Samuel P. Powell
Field Collector:
Samuel P. Powell
PRM Source:
Samuel P. Powell
Acquired:
Loaned July 1940
Collected Date:
By 1940
Description:
Small shield consisting of a circular body cut from a thick piece of dark brown rhinoceros skin (Pantone 412C).
This has been moulded into a convex disc, with the exterior surface of the hide facing outwards and characterised by a roughly textured surface.
The edges were then brought up and folded inwards over the top, to form a thick outer shield rim, with the smooth inside face of the hide exposed; this exposed surface has been slightly polished and better finished than the less visible areas.
A circular piece of yellow leopard skin (Pantone 7508C) has been sewn inside the shield as a lining, with the outside edge slightly folded and perforated 16 times; the thick hide shield rim is correspondingly pierced and narrow hide thongs have been sewn through them both using a buttonhole-style stitch.
The lined area feels bulky and springy, and it seems likely that the leopard's fur was left inside to act as padding to help the shield absorb any blows and protect the user's hand.
The shield was pierced at its apex, and near the rim on either side of this.
A series of narrow hide strips were then passed across the outer face and through the side holes to the interior, where they extend across the centre to form a handle, made from 5 parallel lengths.
On the outer face, the central strip was pushed down into the central hole, and pulled through the underside to form a simple loop that was probably used to as a thumb or finger grip.
On the outer face of the shield, these hide strips were bound at either end by further thongs, and 2 short loops added, made from the loose ends of these thongs tightly wrapped in additional strips.
The object is complete, with some wear to the surface of the hide strips, a tear in the shield rim, and some white dots over the surface.
The outer face has been smeared with red ochre (Pantone 484C), and there are 2 large worn patches across the surface, probably representing use-wear; the interior lining is also discoloured in patches through use.
The shield has a weight of 510.9 grams, and is 208 mm long, 195 mm wide and 68 mm high.
The inner lining measures 181 by 167 mm across; the internal handle is 145 mm and 18 mm wide, while the hide strips used to make up this handle have a typical width of around 7 mm and are 2 mm thick, and the rhinoceros hide used to make the shield body is 4 mm thick; the hide stitches are 4 mm wide, while the loop handles are 80 mm long, 7.2 mm wide and 3 mm thick, and 70 mm long, 5.8 mm wide and 4.2 mm thick respectively.
Collected by Samuel P. Powell from the Imatong tribe at Sunnat, sometime before 1940. The location of Sunnat has not been identified, but it was said to be part of the 'Equatorial Province', which has since been divided into the modern administrative districts of Western Equatoria, Bahr el Jebel, and Eastern Equatoria. The Imatong tribe is presumably to be associated with Jebel Imatong, a mountain peak south of Torit in Eastern Equatoria, and Sunnat is probably in the same region.
The obvious elements of rhinoceros skin are the thick outer facing of the shield; some of the binding straps are much thinner, and it is not clear if these came from the same animal or are some other form of hide.
For a similar shield of unknown origin, see 1884.30.60; this lacks the inner padding. A similar type of object was also attached to the centre of long wooden poles by the Langi or Burunge of Tanzania as a hand-guard (see D. Plaschke & M.A. Zirngibl, 1992, African shields, p. 30 fig. 12).
Rachael Sparks 4/8/2005.
Collected by Samuel P. Powell from the Imatong tribe at Sunnat, sometime before 1940. The location of Sunnat has not been identified, but it was said to be part of the 'Equatorial Province', which has since been divided into the modern administrative districts of Western Equatoria, Bahr el Jebel, and Eastern Equatoria. The Imatong tribe is presumably to be associated with Jebel Imatong, a mountain peak south of Torit in Eastern Equatoria, and Sunnat is probably in the same region.
The obvious elements of rhinoceros skin are the thick outer facing of the shield; some of the binding straps are much thinner, and it is not clear if these came from the same animal or are some other form of hide.
For a similar shield of unknown origin, see 1884.30.60; this lacks the inner padding. A similar type of object was also attached to the centre of long wooden poles by the Langi or Burunge of Tanzania as a hand-guard (see D. Plaschke & M.A. Zirngibl, 1992, African shields, p. 30 fig. 12).
Rachael Sparks 4/8/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[Loans II, p.
308] - ESTATE OF S.P.
POWELL, C/O N.H.
HASLAM, Esq.
Manager, Westminster Bank, Stony Stratford, Bucks.
Collected by himself.
Data from his labels and notes.
[p.
313] From the IMATONG TRIBE.
EQUATORIAL PROVINCE, ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN.
[p.
314] 1940.7.089 - Boy's shield, of rhino and leopard skin, used for duelling with sticks.
From SUNNAT, E[QUATORIAL].P[ROVINCE].
Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list: "Imatong boy's shield. Used for duelling with sticks. Made from Rhino hide and leopard skin. From Sunnat. E.P.". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Boy's shield for duelling with sticks. Rhino and leopard skin. From Sunnat, IMATONG Mts, Equatorial Province Sudan. S.P. Powell [brown luggage label, tied to object; RTS 8/3/2005].
Related Documents File - Appears on undated typed list: "Imatong boy's shield. Used for duelling with sticks. Made from Rhino hide and leopard skin. From Sunnat. E.P.". List is annotated by hand on back: "List of Curios" and "Far from complete" [RTS 16/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - Boy's shield for duelling with sticks. Rhino and leopard skin. From Sunnat, IMATONG Mts, Equatorial Province Sudan. S.P. Powell [brown luggage label, tied to object; RTS 8/3/2005].
