Northern Larim arm ornament

Other views of this artifact:

Accession Number:

1979.20.144

Country:

Sudan

Region:

[Southern Sudan] Eastern Equatoria Lomachada

Cultural Group:

Northern Larim

Date Made:

By 1979

Materials:

Cattle Hair Animal , Cattle Skin Animal , Animal Hide Skin , Animal Hide Skin , Animal Tail

Process:

Plaited , Tied

Dimensions:

L = 500 mm, L tassel = 270 mm, W plaited band = 8 mm, Th plaited band = 7 mm, W arm band = 5.8 mm, Th arm band = 3.1 mm [RTS 13/4/2004].

Local Name:

nyerita (nyatopes)

Other Owners:

Purchased by Patti Langton at the home of the potter, Kisawo clan area Lomachada village, for 50 piastres on 21st March 1979 [RTS 13/4/2004].

Field Collector:

Patti Langton

PRM Source:

Patti Langton

Acquired:

Purchased 1979

Collected Date:

21 March 1979

Description:

Upper arm ornament consisting of a long tassel made from the tail of a cow, with golden brown hairs (Pantone 7509C) mixed with occasional darker reddish brown strands, still attached to a strip of hide which has been rolled into a cylinder to form the tassel. At the top of this the dark brown hide (Pantone black 4C) divides into a series of narrow strips, probably four in total, which have been tightly plaited to form a straight length, almost round in section, which then divides at the other end into two thinner plaited sections that form the arm band. These have been split at the top and one end pushed through the other to secure it. The hide strips still have some hair attached to their outer surface, which sticks out from the plaiting in small tufts. The object is complete and in good condition. The total length of the arm ornament is 500 mm, the tassel has a length of 270 mm and the plaited length below the arm band a length of 100 mm, a width of 8 mm and a thickness of 7 mm. The arm band itself has an internal diameter of approximately 80 mm, a width of 5.8 mm and a thickness of 3.1 mm.

Purchased by Patti Langton for 50 piastres on 21st March 1979, at the home of the potter of Lomachada Village, in the Kisawo clan area.

This ornament is known as nyerita, or occasionally by its Toposa name of nyatopes , and is worn by men for dancing and during marriage ceremonies. For an unfinished example, which illustrates the method of manufacture, see 1979.20.145. This ornament also comes in a larger version, which is known as nyalodor.

Rachael Sparks 8/9/2005.

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 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. 206] 1979.20.140 - 148 NORTH LARIM/BOYA KISAWO CLAN AREA LOMACHADA VILLAGE 21-3-79 [p. 207] 1979.20.144 Cowtail upper arm ornament, nyerita (the Toposa name nyatopes is also used). These are worn by men for dancing and during marriage ceremonies. The strap is made from cowhide. Total L = ca. 50 cm. Coll. no. PL 12. Cost 50 pt.
Additional Accession Book Entry [below accession number in red biro] - A5-F35-30.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 24/5/2004].

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 at the home of the potter, Kisawo clan area Lomachada village', with the additional information 'There is a larger verson of this ornament NYALODOR (no example available)' [RTS 12/1/2004].

Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, SUDAN, Lomachada Northern LARIM (Boya Kisawo clan area) Cowtail upper arm ornament worn by men for dancing & during marriage, nyerita . Purchased P. LANGTON (PL12) 1979.20.144 [LM 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 12/10/2005]