Southern Larim bowl

1979.20.170

Sudan

[Southern Sudan] Eastern Equatoria Loryok

Southern Larim

By March 1979

Gourd Plant

Hollowed , Dried , Decorated , Sgraffito , Inscribed

Ht = 180, Rim L = 365, W = 176, th = 4 mm [RTS 25/3/2005].

298.2 G

Collected by Jill Goudie from the base camp at Loryok for the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan, headed by Patti Langton, between 20th and 25th March 1979 [RTS 12/5/2004].

Jill Goudie

Patti Langton

Purchased 1979

20 - 25 March 1979

Large gourd bowl with a hemispherical body, constricted on one side and with a thickened knob on the rim opposite, following the natural shape of the original gourd's base and neck, producing an irregularly oval plan view. The rim has been cut flat across the top, and the sides slope convexly down to a convex base. The interior is a matt yellowish cream colour (Pantone 7508C), with patches of black discolouration around the upper body. There are some cut marks around parts of the inner edge of the mouth, where the pulpy interior of the gourd was removed. The exterior retains a thin, smooth yellow outer surface layer (Pantone 7509C), that has been stripped off in places to reveal the stronger, orange-coloured body beneath (Pantone 7511C), using a technique known as sgraffito. This has been deliberately done for decorative effect, and consists of a narrow orange band that runs just below the rim around part of the circumference, with a series of triangles pendant from the rim at either end of this. This leaves a small area below the rim blank, covering around one half of the front of the vessel; here, a series of letters have been cut into the surface, somewhat irregular in orientation, possibly reading REJINA. The meaning of this has not been recorded, but if this reading is correct this is most likely to be a name and may show personalisation of the gourd by its owner. Two pairs of lines extend down from the centre of either side, each line gradually flaring away from its pair to create a long inverted V shape. These end just above the centre of the base underside. In some places, incisions have been made into the top layer, creating triangles and lozenges, but the surface has not been removed. It is unclear if this means the decoration was unfinished, or that the craftsman changed their mind about the design. The bowl is complete and intact, but has some spotted discolouration of the outer walls, while the yellow surface layer has worn away in places, especially on the base underside, indicating that the vessel had seen some use. It has a weight of 298.2 grams, and is 180 mm high, with an external rim length of 365 mm and width of 176 mm; the walls are 4 mm thick.

Collected by the archaeologist Jill Goudie, from the base camp at Loryok for the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan, headed by Patti Langton, between 20th and 25th March 1979.

The actual inscription is not completely clear, but is definitely not RETIN as stated in the original documentation. The uncertain letters are the third, fourth and final ones, which are either J or T, I or T and A or D respectively. However the only reading that seems to make any sense is the one suggested above, 'Rejina'. Compare the technique used to inscribe the word on this vessel with that seen on 1979.20.166. Other gourd bowls of this size and shape were used by the Larim for eating (e.g.: 1979.20.163, 1979.20.167).

Rachael Sparks and Jeremy Coote 29/7/2005.

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 allotment 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. 210] 1979.20.163 - 193 SOUTHERN LARIM: Collected by Jill Goudie between 20.3 and 25.3.79 [p. 211] 1979.20.170 Plain gourd with RETIN scratched on the side - significance of this unknown. Added to list later.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F36-1.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 26/5/2004].

Written on object - S. SUDAN, S. LARIM, P. Langton Coll. 1979.20.170 [Ink, RTS 23/3/2005].

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. This object appears on Langton's list as 'plain gourd with RETIN scratched on the side. No significance as far as I know (from S. Larim)' [RTS 12/1/2004].