Studio: international art (34.1905)

Art in the Solomon Islands

this is fixed a thin disc of turtle-shell, pierced
with geometric patterns. On these discs are to
be seen some of the best examples of native
design, excellent specimens of delicate pattern
and careful craftsmanship; when it is remembered
with what primitive tools these objects have been
made, the fineness of the work is remarkable.

Two examples, which are in the British Museum,
have, instead of a Tridacna shell disc, the centre
part of a European plate, carefully ground down to
the required size, forming a background for the
carved turtle-shell ornament.

In all forehead ornaments are to be seen a number
of concentric circles, drawn without a compass or
mechanical aid; the spaces between these slim
circles are filled with geometric patterns. The
centre of the ornament is often a star, through
which a hole is pierced; a short string of a few
coloured beads fastens the turtle-shell ornament
to the Tridacna disc. This ornament is worn as a
frontlet on the forehead, kept in position by means
of a plaited band which fits closely round the head.

There are so many personal ornaments worthy
of examination, that in a limited space it is only
possible to deal with a few examples showing a

WOODEN EAR FLUGS FROM ULAUA ISLAND
I 20

FOREHEAD ADORNMENTS OF TRIDACNA SHELL
WITH PIERCED DISCS OF TURTLE SHELL

portion of the numerous variety of patterns, so
ingeniously introduced by the native craftsman.
Necklaces are the most varied in their designs;
there would appear to be no limit to the materials
employed in the manufacture, common among
which are boars' tusks, turtle-shell rings skilfully
made from small black and white shells, among
which are introduced coloured seeds, human teeth
and dogs' teeth as pendants. Strings of shell discs
have a particular value ; in Florida Island ten yards
of black, white and red shell rings will buy a wife.

The combs worn by the natives of the various
Islands are of similar type; the principal variation
being found in the small band of plaited orna-
ment made of dyed fern tissue or palm leaf, which
forms a binding for the handle. The teeth are
usually made separately of some hard dark wood,
stuck together with a resinous gum which is
covered with the plaited fern already mentioned.
These combs are worn in the hair as an ornament,
and are used as scratchers, rather than for combing
the hair.

Wooden- bowls were skilfully carved by the
people of the Island of San Cristoval: they were
cut from a solid log of wood, often in the form of a
frigate bird, the head and tail forming handles,
the body being the bowl; wings were occasionally
carved in the round, but more often were suggested
by inlaid pieces of shell In one of the examples