e 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 on the Mangaian necklaces (fig. 58, a-c). This evidence is weakened, however, by the fact that the ornaments are attached by a separate piece of cord that is not an integral part of the lashing or the coil. Fortunately, I received for identification a photograph of a pearl-shell ornament from the Copenhagen Museum (pl. 8, A) which was practically identical with the British Museum specimen and which had similar bone ornaments that were threaded through strands of the suspensory hair coil. Hence, the bone plates and the shell ornament were made in the same locality, and as there is no doubt as to the Mangaian origin of the plates, it follows that the shell ornament belongs to the same island. Thus the Copenhagen ornament may be regarded as the key specimen which solves a problem.
There are records of five other ornaments, which prove that the two discussed are of an established type. In the Fuller collection, there are three with the shells cut across at some distance from the hinge and with many holes drilled near the upper edge. All have the strip of unground material along the outer rim. Two have the suspensory coil of hair braid with a similar lashing, which takes turns around the coil at each end and free of the shell, and some straight strands of the coil on the back that are not included in the lashing. The ends of the coil form simple loops without any seizing into eyelets. The third ornament has lost its suspensory coil. Another in the Oldman collection (54, vol. 47, pl. 20, no. 399) conforms with the description given above. The fifth specimen, figured by Edge-Partington (24, II-15-3), is said to have belonged to the ariki, Tamatoa, of Raiatea in the Society Islands. Edge-Partington gives G. Benett, one of the London Missionary Society Commissioners, as his authority. Anything connected with Benett carries the proof of age, but not of accuracy as regards locality.
Pearl-shell Breast Ornaments (Aitutaki)
Their gorgets are suspended from the neck with a wreath of human hair down below the chin, and whether