IDNO

T.172904.PH

Description

On Manual Listing: "Batagarawa and neighbourhood - the Katsina village which is the subject of 'Rural Hausa'.
27Q. Dye pits - see R.K [Rural Kano]." [Hill's caption]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Northern Nigeria; Katsina State; Batagarawa

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Hill, Polly

Collector / Expedition

Date

September 1967

Collection Name

Polly Hill Collection

Source

Format

Colour Transparency

Primary Documentation

Other Information

T.172863.PH - T.173051.PH were located in a cardboard box, now numbered C773/.

T.172863.PH - T.172925.PH were located in a cream envelope, now numbered C773/1.

Bibliographical reference: Rural Kano: Hill, P. (1977) Population, prosperity and poverty : rural Kano 1900 and 1970. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
"Again, Barth's statement that there were more than 2000 dye-pits 'in the town alone' (ibid., p. 144) suggests that he was aware that some export cloth was dyed elsewhere. Considering that some of the city dye-pits would have been utilised for dyeing cloth for local wear, their total number would have been quite insufficient for the dying of exports which Barth estimates (ibid., p.127) were worth 300 million cowries, say £30 000 at the exchange rate he provides. ...
In considering the location of dyeing, Shea emphasises the need for plentiful supplies of water, cotton and indigo - particularly the latter since 150 lbs. or more of indigo was required for the solution of one dye-pit, which required constant replenishment." [LB 14/08/2024]