Northern Larim ring-pad

1979.20.156

Sudan

[Southern Sudan] Eastern Equatoria Napongayit

Northern Larim

By 1979

Grass Fibre Plant , ?Cotton Textile Plant , Synthetic Textile

Woven , Bound , Knotted , Recycled

Outside Diam = 180 mm, Inside diam = 65 by 60 mm, Ht = 44.4 mm [RTS 11/8/2004].

267.8 g

thii

Exchanged by Patti Langton, together with a wooden spoon, for a cotton shirt, at Napongayit with someone from the Kerenge clan during the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan on the 24th March 1979 [RTS 11/8/2004].

Patti Langton

Patti Langton

Purchased 1979

24 March 1979

Circular ring-pad made from bundles of grass gathered together and bent into a loop, then held in shape by winding strips of reused cloth around the body, possibly cotton. At least 3 different types of cloth have been used. One is a tight checkweave cloth with a brown coloured background (Pantone 7508C) and a faded printed design of red lentoid shapes (Pantone 200C) with a reserved fleur de lys motif in the centre. These strips are between 25 to 35 mm wide. The other is a more densely woven white textile in a different type of checkweave, rather discoloured through dirt, in strips at least 50 mm wide. The third material is a scrap of imported synthetic woman's stocking, with a loose weave and a light yellowish beige colour (Pantone 7403C); the sock end of this appears to be intact and tucked under the white textile binding; a thinner cut end is visible on the other side of the ring where it has been tied and knotted to secure it. The object is complete, although the edges of each cloth strip are fraying, and there are darker sooted or stained patches on the surface of both sides, particularly near the inner edge of the ring. It has a weight of 267.8 g, and measures 180 across its outer edges, 65 by 60 mm across the inside edges, and has a height of 44.4 mm.

Patti Langton bought this ring-pad and a wooden spoon in exchange for a cotton shirt at Napongayit, in the Kerenge Clan area, on the 24th March 1979, during the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan. The Larim call this thii, and it is worn by women when carrying a heavy load on their head. Langton was told that it could even be worn without a load, as it made one 'feel like a woman'. Ring-pads are used by other Nilotic cultures, such as the Anuak (1936.10.49-51), and Dinka Tuich (1979.20.49).

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. 208] 1979.20.155 - 162 NORTH LARIM/BOYA; KERENGE CLAN, NAPONGAYIT VILLAGE; 24.3.79 [p. 209] 1979.20.156 Women's headring, thii . Used for carrying heavy loads, and often worn even if no load is being carried. I was told it made one "feel like a woman!" Made of grass wrapped round with cloth. Outside Diam. = 18cm. Coll. no. PL 39. This plus a wooden spoon was exchanged for a cotton shirt.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F35-17.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 25/5/2004].

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. This item appears in Langton's list under the heading 'Purchased in Kerenge clan, Napongayit village, where I was living' [RTS 12/1/2004].

Pitt Rivers Museum label - S.SUDAN NORTHERN LARIM. Women's headring P. Langton coll., PL 39. 1979.20.156 [plastic label with metal eyelet, stored in RDF; RTS 19/5/2005].