rns which pass through shell holes and around coil. First course (1) commencing on left passes upward toward right in front on the coil, downward toward right on back to enter next hole, and finishes with a turn around coil on right, free of shell, b, second course (2) commencing on right, passes upward toward left in front of coil, crosses first course (1) near top, descends on back to enter holes, and finishes with a turn around coil on left, free of shell. Note that free end of sennit at bottom edge of coil is to left of first course (1). c, commencing on left, third course (3) repeats turns of first course (1) but keeps on left of them. On right, sennit takes another turn around free coil and fourth course (4) repeats turns of second course (2) and keeps on their left, d, four more courses are made, odd numbers (5, 7) working toward right and even numbers (6, 8) working toward left, each course keeping to left of previous course which it follows. At this stage, pattern made by crossings on coil consists of four chevrons, e, ninth course (9) commences on left by crossing turns on back and appearing at lower border of coil on right of previous turns; it then follows turns of first course (1) from left to right but keeps on right, thus crossing turns of courses that worked from right to left. After turning on right edge of shell, tenth course (10) follows second course (2), turns from right to left, but keeps on right side of turns. Change in position of ninth and tenth courses forms right hand boundaries of. a lozenge motif internally enhanced by chevrons. f, from its position on left, sennit makes eleventh (11) course by following turns of ninth course (9) from left to right and keeping on its right. Sennit takes turn around coil on right where it is fixed to complete lashing. g, lozenge motif enlarged, with courses numbered.
The shell is lashed to a suspensory coil of human hair braid and fine coir cord (2 mm. thick) with fine sennit dyed black. The lashing braid passes through the 13 holes near the upper edge in four courses (fig. 65, b, c) which embody the technique used in the preceding ornament. At each end, the lashing turns pass around the coil free of the shell, and the ends of the coil are free without any seizing. These two technical features are present in the other Mangaian ornament (no. 9945).
Figure 65.—Pearl-shell breast ornament (British Mus., S.871): a, pearl shell (1) cut straight across well down from hinge; height, 192 mm.; width at upper edge, 209 mm.; greatest width, 212 mm.; 13 holes bored near upper edge, funnel shaped from each surface, outer diameter of holes on inner shell surface being 12 mm.; strip of original outer surface (2) extending along shell rim; coil (3) composed of coir cord (2 mm. thick) and black human hair braid; total length of coil, 490 mm.; lashing (4) of fine sennit (2 mm. wide) dyed black; bone plate (5) forming four-sided figure similar to those in Mangaian necklace (fig. 58) with straight upper edge carrying two lugs pierced from the front back for suspension, and other sides concave, 36 mm. high in middle and 51 mm. in middle width, and 4 mm. thick; second plate (6) much thicker (6 to 11 mm.) with straight upper edge carrying two suspensory lugs pierced from side to side, upper edge 40 mm., lower concave edge 67 mm.; middle vertical height 32 mm.; and end heights, 37 mm. b, lashing of coil to shell in four courses, first course (1) from left to right for all holes, second returning course (2) from right to left with crossing near top front, third course (3) from left to right on right of first course, and last course (4) from right to left to left of second course, c, back of b, showing second crossings on back of coil with same sequence of courses.
The technical differences between these ornaments and pearl-shell ornaments from Tahiti and the Marquesas are discussed on page 438. Evidence that the second ornament discussed is from Mangaia is afforded by a British Museum ornament with two attached bone plates (fig. 65, a,5, 6) that are page 121identical in form to those