 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 for ornament or service I cannot say, but I incline to think for both. It looks very well, and may in battle fend off a spear. It is of a single large pearl shell six inches in diameter, worked by some means to look very smooth and beautiful.
In the same work, a drawing by Lieutenant G. Tobin (46, p. 134) shows a man standing up in a canoe with a many-barbed spear in his right hand, a pearl-shell ornament held by the hair "wreath" in his left hand, and another pearl-shell ornament hanging on his breast. The ornament held in the hand appears to be a full-sized shell and the one on the breast appears to have been cut down to a crescentic shape like those from Mauke. The pearl shells were used entirely for ornament and not for the additional purpose of warding off a weapon as Tobin surmised.page 122
Figure 66.—Pearl-shell breast ornaments from Aitutaki and Mauke. a, Aitutaki: single pearl shell (1) pierced with four holes along upper hinge margin for attachment of coil (2) of 32 strands of two-ply cord of bast fiber dyed brown; at ends of coil folds, a thicker two-ply cord (3) of undyed bast (hibiscus?) is tied for suspension around neck (Auckland Mus., 14488). b, Mauke: part of shell (1) is crescentic in form with upper concave edge; holes bored at each upper corner for attachment of single human hair braid (2) which is passed through holes, and ends tied with overhand knots (Otago University Mus.). c, Mauke: more crescentic form than b; hole at each end to which are tied ends of a suspension braid of human hair; one unengaged hole is pierced below middle of upper edge (Samuela Ariki coll.).
Pearl-shell Breast Ornament (Mauke)
Skinner (61, p. 276) figures a pearl-shell ornament from Mauke. The upper edge is concave with a hole bored at either end. The suspensory element consists of a single length of fine human hair braid (fig. 66, b). Skinner's informant, W. Drury Low, states that examples have been found in more than one burial cave. If the shell of the ornament figured was found in a burial cave, it is probable