Sudan club, one thing leads to another

Tim Simmons · 11th June 2010, 07:03 PM

I have called this thing a pestle all the time I have had it. I bought it years ago as a club. I was looking at these links and thought I might just rub the end grain with a little olive oil. Izzy wizzy lets get bizzy we have a club???? Mine is 470mm total length so just a little big than here-

http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/details/1979.20.131/

Just 100mm short of this one with a spike.

http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/details/1903.16.115/

Bryan.H · 11th June 2010, 08:06 PM

Nice markings! Are they burned into the wood like poker-work, or carved?

Tim Simmons · 11th June 2010, 08:31 PM

The markings are quite fine wood engraving. Here are some close ups. One picture shows wear. I imagine from a ring on the forefinger in the happiest grip position, the other side still retaining the pattern. The zig-zag is nice.

tom hyle · 25th June 2010, 01:20 PM

What kind of wear to the big flat end?
What kind of wear to the sides of the head?
What kind of wear to the narrow tip; does it seem original or cut-down?
pestles fids and weaving swords, oh my!
But I suspect it is a weapon. Possibly a throwing weapon. Probably from the islands of the Pacific ocean.

Tim Simmons · 25th June 2010, 08:27 PM

Hi Tom. It is good to have your acute observation. Not easy to answer through a PC but one can try. I would be over the moon if it were South Seas but I think I am sure it is African. Here are some pictures that I hope give more of a feeling, even if the light in the UK has past the yard arm so to speak. The arrows point to possible finger ring damage and indentation on the head. As you can see there is a line from a ring on the forefinger too the impact dent. The engraved scorpion on the club seems to conform with other representations as seen on the large parade throwing knife from the same region. I wonder if what I thought was wear is just where the artist has just decided to end the engraving and what wear you see is just handling, serious grinding wear would surly be far more evident? One thing very similar to the Oxford Uni Pitt Rivers museum objects is the concave underside of the "club head" where the handle emerges. I feel that is very telling?

11th June 2010, 07:03 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Sudan club, one thing leads to another I have called this thing a pestle all the time I have had it. I bought it years ago as a club. I was looking at these links and thought I might just rub the end grain with a little olive oil. Izzy wizzy lets get bizzy we have a club???? Mine is 470mm total length so just a little big than here- http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/details/1979.20.131/ Just 100mm short of this one with a spike. http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/details/1903.16.115/ Attached Images

11th June 2010, 08:31 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	The markings are quite fine wood engraving. Here are some close ups. One picture shows wear. I imagine from a ring on the forefinger in the happiest grip position, the other side still retaining the pattern. The zig-zag is nice. Attached Images

25th June 2010, 08:27 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Hi Tom. It is good to have your acute observation. Not easy to answer through a PC but one can try. I would be over the moon if it were South Seas but I think I am sure it is African. Here are some pictures that I hope give more of a feeling, even if the light in the UK has past the yard arm so to speak. The arrows point to possible finger ring damage and indentation on the head. As you can see there is a line from a ring on the forefinger too the impact dent. The engraved scorpion on the club seems to conform with other representations as seen on the large parade throwing knife from the same region. I wonder if what I thought was wear is just where the artist has just decided to end the engraving and what wear you see is just handling, serious grinding wear would surly be far more evident? One thing very similar to the Oxford Uni Pitt Rivers museum objects is the concave underside of the "club head" where the handle emerges. I feel that is very telling? Attached Images

11th June 2010, 08:06 PM	#2
Bryan.H Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 51	Nice markings! Are they burned into the wood like poker-work, or carved?

25th June 2010, 01:20 PM	#4
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	What kind of wear to the big flat end? What kind of wear to the sides of the head? What kind of wear to the narrow tip; does it seem original or cut-down? pestles fids and weaving swords, oh my! But I suspect it is a weapon. Possibly a throwing weapon. Probably from the islands of the Pacific ocean.