1979.20.57

Collection type

Object

Description

Small mussel shell, used as spoon or ladle [SM 14/05/2007]

Long description

Spoon or small scoop made from one half of a bivalve shell (probably oyster or mussel), separated from its paired shell at the hinge but not obviously modified in any other way. The object is oval in plan view, with a convex underside that has a translucent caramel colour and more opaque dark brown coloured surface (Pantone 464C and 439C). This has flaked off around the apex, exposing the opaque white and opalescent pinkish colour of the underlying mother-of-pearl (Pantone 7415C). The surface is weathered along one side, with the remainder of the outer surface having a polished appearance, which may be naturally occurring. The interior hollow is concave, and made of the natural pinkish purple mother-of-pearl lining of the shell. The object is complete, apart from the surface damage mentioned above and some edge damage. It is 96.7 mm long, 48 mm wide and 11 mm high; the shell itself is around 1 mm thick near the edges, with a weight of 18.6 grams [RTS 28/6/2004].

Geographical reference

South Sudan

Africa > Eastern Africa > South Sudan

Northern Bahr el Ghazal Dhangrial

Cultural groups

Dinka Tuich

Person

Field collector Patti Langton

PRM source Patti Langton

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1979

Date collected

17 February 1979

Acquisition information

Purchased: 1979

Materials and processes

Material Mussel Shell, Material Mother of Pearl Shell

Dimensions

Length: max 96.7 mm, Width: max 48 mm, Height: max 11 mm, Thick: max 1 mm, Weight 18.6 g

Object numbers

Accession number: 1979.20.57 Other numbers: Langton Collection 123

Research and responses

At the time this object was collected, the Bahr el Ghazal province was bordered by the Upper Nile Province to the east and Western Equatoria to the south; this area is now divided into the districts of Western Bahr el Ghazal, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and parts of Warab and El Buheyrat. Dhangrial is located within 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 object is said to have been found in the river and used as a spoon; its local name is thial. This is probably the same term as Nebel's Tial, plural tiet, which he defines as a ‘smaller shell, spoon’ (Nebel 1979, Dinka-English Dictionary, p. 82).

For a slightly larger shell of the same type, used as a ladle, see 1979.20.58. The Anuak also utilise shells as spoons (see 1936.10.40-42, or variant form with serrated end, 1936.10.44-45). The Anuak shells are described as 'mussel shells' by Evans-Pritchard; they appear to be the same type as found here and that is probably the correct identification [RTS 20/08/2005].

Search terms: Food and Drink, Spoon, Food Accessory