Lienhardt Papers
Papers of (Ronald) Godfrey Lienhardt (1921–1993), anthropologist
14 boxes of material relating to the Dinka and southern Sudan, consisting of correspondence, fieldwork notes, research notes, lectures, unpublished writings, and published material.
Related Resources
Collections of field photographs: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Lienhardt, (Ronald) Godfrey (1921–1993), anthropologist Link to record (external site)
Enquiries: ms-photo.colls@prm.ox.ac.uk
Full Listing
Box 1 – Correspondence
1/1 Eleven letters and notes, primarily from Bona Malwal, various dates.
1/2 A bundle of materials related to Southern Sudan, including press clippings and assorted correspondence, G. Lienhardt, late 1960s to the early 1980s.
1/3 A bundle of correspondence between G. Lienhardt and officials in Southern Sudan, 1948-49, 14 pp.
1/4 Correspondence and observations concerning the Anuak, G. Lienhardt and H.T. Hoekstra (American Mission), 1953, 24 pp.
1/5 A letter to G. Lienhardt about the Anuak, date and author unknown, 2 pp.
1/6 Note from Jack(?) to G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 1 page.
1/7 Letter from Jeremy Coote to G. Lienhardt, 1981, 2 pp.
1/8 Official records of the Dinka, letter from Paul Howell to G. Lienhardt, 1949, 29 pp.
1/9 “Song of Gol Mayen”. A note from G.K. Hebbert (D.C. Yirrol) to Governor, UNP, 23.12.1931. [civsec 36/4/15].
Box 2 – Fieldwork notes
2/1 Fieldwork notebook on the Dinka, 186 pp, beginning in December 1947.
2/2 Fieldwork notebook on the Dinka, 182, primarily on genealogies, date unknown.
2/3 Diary for 1952, containing some information in the back, mostly G. Lienhardt’s schedules.
2/4 Diary from 9 July 1953 to 5 September 1953, 38 pp, extensive notes of fieldwork in Akobo.
2/5 3 maps from Lienhardt’s fieldwork, date unknown.
2/6 Fieldwork map of tribal groups of the Dinka, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
2/7 Fieldwork notebook containing pressed plants, leaves, and trees, G. Lienhardt, 1948.
2/8 Diary for 1950 containing fieldwork notes on the Dinka, G. Lienhardt, c. 110 pp.
2/9 Fieldwork notebook from 1947, also containing some notes on published anthropological works, G. Lienhardt, 84 pp.
2/10 Fieldwork notes on the Anuak, Kinship, Marriage and Families, 1953, G. Lienhardt, 52 pp. 2/11 Blue notebook from Anuak fieldwork, containing: 1) A draft chapter for a book on Anuak Cosmology; 2) Notes on Anuak Religion; 3) Notes on personal names; 4) Notes on villages; 5) Genealogies, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 200 pp.
Box 3 – Fieldwork notes
3/1 Fieldwork notebook, Arabic and Dinka Vocabulary, containing some observations on the Dinka, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 198 pp.
3/2 Notebook on English-Dinka, Dinka-English vocabulary, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 200 pp.
3/3 Anuak-English Dictionary, A-L (Vol. 1), G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 200 pp.
3/4 Anuak-English Dictionary, M-Y (Vol. 2), G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 200 pp.
3/5 English-Anuak/Anuak-English Dictionary, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 130 pp.
3/6 A fieldwork notebook, on Ruweng customs, written by an unknown Dinka, 1947(?).
3/7 A fieldwork notebook, the Story of the Anuak, G. Lienhardt, 1952, 10 pp.
3/8 A fieldwork notebook, rough notes on the Anuak, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 48 pp.
3/9 Fieldwork notebook containing information on Southern Sudan, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
3/10 A bundle of essays written by Dinka schoolboys in the Dinka language, 1948, c. 40 pp.
3/11 A bundle of papers, containing words compiled by local people in the Dinka language, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
3/12 Notebook containing texts of stories in the Dinka language, date unknown, 26 pp.
3/13 A bundle of fieldwork notes on the Southern Sudan about various topics, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 91 pp.
3/14 Fieldwork notes on the Dinka, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 20 pp.
3/15 A fieldwork notebook, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
3/16 A notebook collecting stories by Dinka, with some notes by G. Lienhardt, date unknown.3/17 A fieldwork notebook, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
3/18 A bundle of fieldwork notes, G. Lienhardt, 1953-54(?).
3/19 A bundle of fieldwork notes on Umr(s?)eda genealogies, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 16 pp.
3/20 A fieldwork notebook of Dinka texts, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 72 pp.
Box 4 – Fieldwork Notes
4/1 A fieldwork notebook, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 87 pp.
4/2 Records of G. Lienhardt’s provisions, 1949, 2 pp.
4/3 Fieldwork notebook on the Anuak, G. Lienhardt, 1952, c. 63 pp.
4/4 A fieldwork notebook on the Dinka, G. Lienhardt, 1948, c. 92 pp.
4/5 Fieldwork notebook on Anuak religion and cosmology, G. Lienhardt, 1953, 70 pp.
4/6 i) Fieldwork notes on kinship, date unknown, 2 pp; ii) Fieldwork notes on kinship, with diagrams, date unknown, 1 page; iii) Fieldwork notes on kinship, date unknown, 1 page.
4/7 Fieldwork notes on cattle colour terminology, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 8 pp.
4/8 Fieldwork notebook on Dinka songs/poetry, G. Lienhardt, 1950, 107 pp.
4/9 Fieldwork diary, G. Lienhardt, April to July 1948/ April to November 1949, 18 pp.
Box 5 – Fieldwork Notes
5/1 Fieldwork notebook on the Anuak, G. Lienhardt, 1952, 74 pp.
5/2 Fieldwork notebook of Dinka texts, G. Lienhardt, 1950, 199 pp.
5/3 Fieldwork notebook, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 190 pp.
5/4 Fieldwork notebook, Dinka texts, Vol. 1, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 94 pp.
5/5 Fieldwork notebook, Dinka texts, Vol. 2, G. Lienhardt, 1948, 92 pp.
5/6 Fieldwork notebook, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 152 pp.
5/7 A fieldwork notebook on Dinka songs, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
5/8 Fieldwork notes, Dinka texts, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 27 pp.
5/9 i) Fieldwork notes, date unknown, 2 pp; ii) fieldwork notes, table of exchanges, date unknown, 1 page; iii) fieldwork notes on the Dinka, date unknown, 8 pp; iv) fieldwork notes and translations of Dinka songs and poetry, 1953, 8 pp; v) fieldwork notes, Dinka names, 1949, 1 page.
Box 6 - Research notes, lectures and unpublished writings
6/1 “Social Anthropology,” by A.R. Radcliffe-Brown, with notes and corrections by G. Lienhardt.
6/2 G. Lienhardt’s Dinka-English dictionary, on bits of paper collected with treasury ties.
6/3 “The Father of the Giur,” handwritten document, author unknown.
6/4 Notes for a course of lectures on anthropology, with handwritten notes, no date, possibly by G. Lienhardt?
6/5 Notes for a course of lectures on Nilotic Religions, by G. Lienhardt, Hilary Term 1950.6/6 Various pieces of writing and communications concerning Southern Sudan fieldwork, by G. Lienhardt.
6/7 A paper on Dinka time-keeping, 24 pp, with notes from “Elinor”, date unknown.
6/8 A hand-written map of the Nilotes, date sometime after 1970.
6/9 Unpublished notes by G. Lienhardt on Dinka age-grades, 6 pp, incomplete, date unknown.6/10 Notes on the Shilluk by C.H.D. (?), 1972, 7 pp.
6/11 Notes on the Shilluk from various sources, along with several letters, 1973, c. 28 pp.
6/12 Shilluk-English Dictionary compiled by D.K.L. Rae in 1946, c. 68 pp.
6/13 English-Dinka Dictionary compiled by D.K.L. Rae in 1946, c. 200 pp
Box 7 - Research notes, lectures and unpublished writings
7/1 An incomplete piece of writing on “Kinship and Community among the Western Dinka,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
7/2 A Language Study Syllabus for the Anuak Language, author unknown, date unknown, 22 pp.
7/3 Translations of the New Testament into Dinka, 2 copies of a 2nd volume, beginning with Luke 1:26. Published in Akobo, 1952. Translated by H.T. Hoekstra (American Mission).
7/4 A booklet “Mana Yot Dhano. Marodola” containing three texts in Dinka, possibly hymns(?), author unknown, date unknown.
7/5 “Notes on the Dinka of Bahr el Ghazal by R.G. Lienhardt 1950”. Missing pp. 30-54 (section iii).
7/6 “Notes on the Dinka of Bahr el Ghazal”. 61 pp, typescript with ms annotations.
7/7 A bundle of papers on Dinka genealogies, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
7/8 Various papers on the Reth (Divine King) of the Shilluk, author unknown, date unknown, 38 pp.
7/9 Lectures on African Royals and Others, G. Lienhardt, 1986, 13 pp.
7/10 Nilotic Kingship, Lecture 4, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 11 pp.
7/11 A list of manuscripts on the Dinka by various of the Veronese friars, author unknown, 1953, 2 pp.
7/12 A typed paper in Dinka, author unknown, date unknown, 6 pp.
Box 8- Research notes, lectures and unpublished writings
8/1 A bundle of maps of Southern Sudan, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
8/2 A list of English words, unknown purpose, G. Lienhardt, date unknown. 15 pp, one dated 1950.
8/3 A list of English-Shilluk vocabulary, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 4 pp.
8/4 A bundle of typewritten texts about the origins of various Dinka clans, parallel texts in English and Dinka, author unknown, date unknown, 9 pp.
8/5 Part of a text on Southern Sudan, and kinship relations, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 2 pp.
8/6 A text on the origins of various Dinka clans, author unknown, date unknown, 6 pp.
8/7 “Temporary Enthronement” or “The Rite of Initiation of Nye,” G.L. Elliot-Smith, date unknown, 6 pp.
8/8 “The Socio-Economic Position of Cattle,” author unknown, date unknown, 7 pp.
8/9 “A Brief Report About Some Districts,” and a brief letter from Joshua Deiwal, date unknown, 6 pp.
8/10 Fragments of a typed report on the Dinka, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 19 pp.
8/11 Part of a book on the Dinka, specifically a chapter on Dinka law, G. Lienhardt(?), date unknown, circa 100 pp.
8/12 A lecture on “Clan,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 5 pp.
8/13 Part of a lecture on kinship, missing the first two pp(?), G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 9 pp.
8/14 Part of a lecture on “The Clan,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 3 pp.
8/15 The Origin of the Jur, author unknown, date unknown, 14 pp, ms pencil.
8/16 Dinka Grammar, Rek-Malual Dialect, by F.A. Nebel, date unknown, c. 62 pp.
8/17 “(Apoic-Thiak) The Newly Married Woman,” typescript, author unknown, date unknown, 20 pp.
Box 9- Research notes, lectures and unpublished writings
9/1 A notebook of research and observations on the Shilluk and Nuer, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 100 pp.
9/2 A notebook of research and observations on religion, royalty, etc., G. Lienhardt, date unknown, c. 101 pp.
9/3 A notebook of quotations from published works on kings, royalty, etc., G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 22 pp.
9/4 A notebook and scrapbook on miscellaneous topics, G. Lienhardt, 1951, c. 109 pp.
9/5 A notebook of research on the Nilotes, G. Lienhardt, 1976(?), 11 pp.
9/6 A notebook of quotations from and comments on anthropological works, G. Lienhardt, 1965, 15 pp.
9/7 Blue notebook, research on religion, G. Lienhardt. 101 pp.
9/8 “Anthropological Survey of Chiefs,” copy of reports by administrators, author unknown, date unknown, c. 60 pp.
9/9 Research notes on court records, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 4 pp.
9/10 Court evidence of suspected intentions of burying Beny Bith Deng Abiem alive at Gogrial on 25th September, G. Lienhardt, 1949, 8 pp.
9/11 A description of the Anuak by officials, author unknown, date unknown, 13 pp.
9/12 A manuscript on Nuer poetry, Koryom Tut, date unknown, 30 pp.
9/13 Notes on the Anuak, with a map, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
9/14 Research notes on names, with a kingship diagram, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 11 pp.
Box 10- Research notes, lectures and unpublished writings
10/1 Research notes on names, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 2 pp.
10/2 Notes on “Death in Two Nilotic Societies,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 2 pp.
10/3 An official description of Dinkaland (incomplete), author unknown, date unknown, 2 pp. [fragile]
10/4 A calendar from Juba, 1977, 1 page.
10/5 i) comments on Frazer, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 7 pp; ii) comments on Frazer and his writings (lecture notes), G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 7 pp.
10/6 A lecture on cattle names, given Kwame Nkrumah University in Ghana, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 9 pp.
10/7 Lecture on “Aspects of Social Change in Africa,” given at University of Ghana in Kumasi, G. Lienhardt, 1964, 3 pp.
10/8 Introductory lecture for a course on “Anthropological Studies in Witchcraft and Religion,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 3 pp.
10/9 “Social Anthropology and African Studies,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 2 pp.
10/10 Miscellaneous papers/ notes on ceremony. 49 pp.
10/11 Miscellaneous papers on Nuer poetry, typescript with mss, 102 pp.
10/12 “Anuak (Dho Anyua) by Dr A.N. Tucker”. Typescript, 9 pp.
10/13 Letter from Therese Svoboda, 1978, enclosing five Nuer songs and translations.
10/14 Map of Pibor Post, Sudan, date unknown.
10/15 Notes for a course of lectures on royalty, with some newspaper cuttings, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 9 pp. [large blue notebook, only 9 pp used]
10/16 Notes on books published on Africa, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 20 pp.
10/17 Folder of extracts on the Dinka, from various sources, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 120 pp.
10/18 Certificate of honorary degree of D.Litt. from Northwestern University, 1984. Includes correspondence with Mary Douglas and three photographs from degree ceremony.
Box 11- Research notes, lectures and unpublished writings
11/1 Transcript of tapes on the Shilluk with some notes by G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 50 pp.
11/2 Map of Akobo, date unknown.
11/3 Notebook of lectures on religion, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 52 pp.
11/4 Lecture notes on “Some Approaches to Primitive Religion,” G. Lienhardt, 1951, 20 pp.
11/5 Seminar notes on “The Anthropology of Hobbes’ Leviathan,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 11 pp.
11/6 Notes on religion, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 8 pp.
11/7 Lecture notes on “Some Approaches to Primitive Religion,” G. Lienhardt, 1951, 5 pp.
11/8 Observations on the songs of the Galla [Oromo], author unknown, date unknown, 7 pp.
11/9 Caricatures of faces, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 1 page.
11/10 A typescript on the Anuak, author unknown, date unknown, 24 pp.
11/11 Typescript on jwok and juu, author unknown, date unknown, 2 pp.
11/12 Notes for Lienhardt’s book on the Dinka.
11/13 Various quotes from letters, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 12 pp.
11/14 Notes on speakers who took part in a discussion, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 6 pp.
11/15 Notes on religion, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 67 pp.
11/16 8 lectures on Nilotic Religions, G. Lienhardt, 1950-51, 257 pp total.
11/17 A notebook of miscellanea by G. Lienhardt, 1972.
11/18 A notebook of miscellanea by G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
Box 12
- Research notes, lectures and unpublished writings
12/1 Lectures 2 and 4, Studies in Myth, G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 20 + 13 pp (lecture 4).
12/2 i) G. Lienhardt’s comments on an article on A.R. Radcliffe-Brown, from the Proceedings of the British Academy, Vol. 42. ii) G. Lienhardt’s further comments, 19 pp.
12/3 Government record of an objection to a marriage between a Catholic and a Protestant, 1965, 3 pp.
12/4 “A Basic Vocabulary of Social Anthropology,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 7 pp.
12/5 Sudan Government, Dinka Grammar and Rules for Dinka Spelling, 121 pp total.
12/6 Lectures on Nilotic Kinship, G. Lienhardt, 1953, 43 pp.
12/7 “A Survey of the ‘Dinka’ Tribe Economy,” Emmanuel Bol Kuanyin, 1968/69, 24 pp.
12/8 Commentary on G. Lienhardt’s paper on Personal Names, author unknown, 1986, 3 pp + 20 pp (paper).
12/9 “Reflections on Cultural Artifacts and History: The Case of a Shilluk Pipe,” Walter Kunijwok Swado Ayoker with comments by G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 18 pp.
12/10 Government reports and notes on the Anuak, author unknown, date unknown, 53 pp.
12/11 “Origin and Migration of the Shilluk Tribe,” Sayed Ambrose S. Mojwok, date unknown, 11 pp.
12/12 “The Southern Sudan,” unknown author, unknown date, 2 pp.
12/13 Typescript of “The Place of Religion in the World of the Dinka,” G. Lienhardt, date unknown, 7 pp.
12/14 Dictionary of grass names in Dinka and Nuer, compiled by J.M. Lock, date unknown, 14 pp.
12/15 3 pp of an unknown typescript about religion, author unknown, date unknown.
12/16 Annotated draft chapter from The Dinka and Their Songs, G. Lienhardt, date unknown.
Box 13 – Published material
13/1 Grandparents by Mary Douglas. Typescript, no date.
13/2 Fra Una Tribu’ di Giganti: Note etnografiche sulla tribù Denca, by P. Nicolao Olivetti, a publication on the Dinka, date unknown. Published in Verona by the Instituto Missioni Africane.
13/3 A Japanese newspaper containing an article on G. Lienhardt, 1985.
13/4 Extract of an article on games among the Dinka and Shilluk, author unknown, date unknown, 2 pp.
13/5 “Some of the difficulties facing the establishment of local government among the Nuer people of the Sudan, with special reference to the Zeraf Island Rural District Council”. No date (after 1954), 46 pp.
13/6 “Polygamy Among the Dinka,” in the Vigilant, 25/2/1966, M. Arialbek, 4 pp.
13/7 Godfrey Lienhardt – Divinidad y Experiencia: La religion de los Dinkas (Spanish translation of Divinity and Experience).
13/8 Scrutiny: A Quarterly Review, Vol. 40, No. 3, Spring 1943.
13/9 A Selection from Scrutiny: Compiled by F.R. Leavis, Volume 2. Cambridge University Press, 1968.
13/10 Greek translation of Social Anthropology, by Godfrey Lienhardt (1985).
13/11 Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford, Vol. 12, No. 3, Michaelmas 1981.
13/12 i) Portugese translation of Social Anthropology (Second Edition 1973), by Godfrey Lienhardt; ii) Third Edition (1982).
13/13 Spanish translation of Social Anthropology, by Godfrey Lienhardt. Published in Mexico, second impression 1975.
13/14 Japanese translation of Social Anthropology, by Godfrey Lienhardt.
13/15 The Founding Fathers of Social Science, ed. Timothy Raison. Penguin, 1969.
13/16 Vernacular Christianity: Essays Presented to Godfrey Lienhardt, July 1988, eds. Wendy James and Douglas H. Johnson. With a signed list of attendees at the release party, and a photocopied review of the book.
13/17 Spanish translation of Social Anthropology, by Godfrey Lienhardt, new edition with an introduction by A. Al-Shahi. Published in Mexico, sixth impression, 2004.
13/18 Social Anthropology, by Godfrey Lienhardt, 1st edition copy presented to G. Lienhardt by Andrew Baring, 1964.
Box 14 – Published material
14/1 Bulletin of the College of Arts and Sciences, Baghdad, Vol. 1, June 1956.
14/2 Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford, Vol. 24, No. 1, Hilary 1993.
14/3 Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford, Vol. 24, No. 2, Trinity 1993.
14/4 African Affairs, Vol. 54, No. 216, July 1955.
14/5 Studies in Kinship and Marriage, ed. I. Schapera.
14/6 Getting Your Own Back: Themes in Nilotic Myth, by Godfrey Lienhardt.
14/7 “The Western Dinka,” by Godfrey Lienhardt, extract from Tribes Without Rulers, eds. John Middleton and David Tait.
14/8 The Oxford Review, No. 4, Hilary 1967.
14/9 Notes and Queries for Readers and Writers, Collectors and Librarians, Vol. 22, No. 9, September 1975.
14/10 Ethnic and Racial Studies, Vol. 2, No. 4, October 1979.
14/11 The Journal of Theological Studies, Vol. 22, Part 2, October 1971.
14/12 Ancient Civilizations: A BBC Publication.
14/13 Report of Gathering in the Old Combination Room, Trinity College, Cambridge, March 1st and 2nd, 1927… ed. J. Frazer, with notes by G. Lienhardt.
14/14 A Experiencia de Lienhardt: Uma Teoria Etnografica da Religiao, by Marcio Goldman (in Portugese). A paper on G. Lienhardt’s contribution to the ethnology of religion.
14/15 Photocopies of scripts from seven talks by G. Lienhardt on the BBC, originally broadcast from 1951 to 1965.
14/16 Two reviews of Divinity and Experience.
14/17 A Review/comment by Sir Raymend Firth of the JASO special issue on Godfrey Lienhardt, edited by Ahmed Al-Shahi and Jeremy Coote. It appeared in Anthropology today (2000?)
14/18 A pencil drawing portrait of Godfrey Lienhardt, possibly by Philip Roussell, dated 17.1.1988.
14/19 A poem by Eva Gillies about Godfrey Lienhardt, titled “Looking Back”.
14/20 An obituary of Godfey Lienhardt by the late Achol Deng (was a Sudanese diplomat)
14/21 An obituary of Godfey Lienhardt by Bona Malwal and appeared in the Sudan D3emocratic Gazette (edited by Bona Malwal), December 1993.
14/22 An extract about Godfrey Lienhardt from A Fighting Withdrawal: The Life of Dan Davin - Writer, Soldier, Publisher by Keith Ovenden, 1996.
