Penannular wooden arm ornament with 2 hide strips and animal hair tassels attached [RTS 7/4/2004].

Collection type: Object
Description: Penannular wooden arm ornament with 2 hide strips and animal hair tassels attached [RTS 7/4/2004].
Long description: Penannular wooden arm ornament, carved from a single piece of wood into a circular ring with cut ends that are almost touching; this cut is jagged, rather than straight. The ring has narrow sides with a flat inner face and underside, and slightly convex upper surface and outer face, giving it a sub rectangular section. It has been perforated with a single hole at either end, through which a narrow strip of hide has been passed and then knotted on one side, with two long lengths of hide hanging loose and ending in furry animal hair tassels. These tassels look to be made from a strip of animal skin with the hair in place on one side, which has been wound around the hide strip and knotted in place. The wood has been stained a dark brown on most faces (Pantone 1545C); the original yellowish brown colour is still visible on the outside edges (Pantone 146C); the hide strip is a very dark brown (Pantone black 2C) while the tassels are a light cream colour (Pantone 7506C). The ring itself has an old cut across one side, but is otherwise complete, intact and in good condition. It measures 106 by 104 mm across the outside edges, has an internal diameter of 72 mm, and a thickness of 15 mm. The holes have a diameter of 4 mm, the hide strips are from 3.5 to 5 mm wide and 1 mm thick, and each has a length from top knot to the end of each tassel of 330 and 340 mm respectively. The combined weight of armlet and tassels is 48.4 grams. It is possible that the ring has been cut to allow it to be fitted to the owner's arm more easily. [RTS 7/4/2004].
Geographical reference: South Sudan
Africa > Eastern Africa > South Sudan
Cultural groups: Toposa
Person: Field collector John Mack; PRM source Patti Langton
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1980
Date collected: 1980
Acquisition information: Purchased: 1979, uncertain
Materials and processes: Material Wood Plant, Material Animal Hide Skin, Material Animal Skin, Material Animal Hair, Process Carved, Process Perforated, Process Tied, Process Stained
Dimensions: Diameter: max 106 mm ring, Thick 15 mm ring, Length: max 340 mm tassels, Weight 48.4 g
Object numbers: Accession number: 1979.20.205
Research and responses: Dinka men add similar tassels, made from cow tails, to some of their armlets (e.g.: A. Fisher 1984, Africa Adorned, p. 56). Discussions of the Toposa may be found by Captain G.R. King in L.F. Nalder (ed.), 1937, A Tribal Survey of the Mongalla Province, pp 65-81 and A.C. Beaton, 1950, "Record of the Toposa Tribe", Sudan Notes and Records XXXI.

Search terms: Ornament, Arm Ornament