 form ridges, some of which are notched. One figure in a British Museum necklace is plain on the back, and I assume that the other three, of which I have photographs of the front side only, likewise have plain backs (fig. 58, m-q).
The different motifs alternate on the suspensory cord. Thus, four plates are placed so that three other motifs, such as the ball figures, come in the intervening spaces and another motif, such as the animal, is placed at either end so that the total of nine is completed. The two Cambridge University necklaces, depart from this arrangement in that there are five plates, two coming together at one end.
The method of seizing the suspensory cord to the foundation element is shown in figure 59.
Figure 59.—Attachment of necklace ornaments: end loop (1) of foundation element of sennit; foundation seized with human-hair braid (2) which covers end of suspensory coir cord (3) and so fixes it to foundation. At appropriate distance (4), suspensory cord is lifted and threaded through hole in neck of ball ornament (5); the hair braid continues its seizing turns (6) for a little over width of ornament lug, when suspensory cord is laid against foundation and seizing turns (7) continue over it to correct distance for next ornament. Cord is picked up and threaded through left lug of four-sided ornament; two or three seizing turns are made and suspensory cord returned to foundation; two or three seizing turns are made over it when it is again picked up and threaded through right lug of ornament; two or three seizing turns are made and suspensory cord returned to foundation where it is covered with seizing turns until interval (9) for next ornament is reached. Suspensory cord is picked up and passed through holes in hind legs of animal ornaments (10); some seizing turns are made and cord is returned to foundation, thus suspending animal ornament head down with its back to the front. Seizing turns continue until next interval is reached. The other ornaments are attached in same manner. The three elements of, composite neck cord are shown on right; foundation braid (11), hair-braid seizing element (12), and coir suspensory cord (13).
Cords of bast were attached to the end loops of the foundation element for tying around the neck. In most of the necklaces these tying cords were absent. In one necklace, a strip of bast was passed through the end loop to its page 114middle and doubled back to form two plies which were twisted into a cord (pl. 8, D).
Excepting necklaces of small land or sea shells, the usual technique in central, north, south, and east Polynesia was to attach a single ornament to the neck cord or band. The use of multiple ornaments is thus somewhat peculiar to Mangaia and does not occur until we reach western Polynesia and Melanesia.
Ivory Neck Ornament (Atiu)
A whale ivory ornament in an enlarged form of the Mangaian ear and neck ball ornaments is preserved in the Cambridge University Museum. The catalog describes it thus, "Rei of cachalot tooth, given by Ngamaru, husband of Makea chieftainess of Rarotonga, to Rev. J. J. K. Hutchin." Ngamaru was one of the three ariki chiefs of Atiu. He married Makea, the most influential ariki of Rarotonga and lived in Rarotonga with his wife after his marriage. The Reverend Hutchin represented the London Missionary Society in Rarotonga while Ngamaru lived there, hence it is evident that the ornament (fig. 60, a, b, c) came from Atiu through Ngamaru.
Figure 60.—Ivory and wooden breast ornaments (Atiu): a-c, ivory ornament (Cambridge University Mus., Z.6097); d-e, wooden ornament (after Gudgeon). a, front; total height, 53 mm.; greatest width, 67 mm.; greatest thickness, 43 mm.; shows two balls (1, 1), and suspensory lug (2) with outer lip. b, from above: shows suspensory lug (2, 2) divided into two flanges by notch from side to side, with upper surface of flanges notched in transverse lines and inner lower part serrated; with central rectangular pit; holes bored through into pit from each end and each side. c, view from below showing dividing groove, d, side view of 