EARLY TRADE IX BLACK AND RED CORAL 237 



sacrifice on the altar of the Sun.^ On this point, however, 

 our knowledge is very scanty. All that we do know for 

 certain is that it was highly prized as an ornament by these 

 people. 



In Japan, red coral has been used for inlaid artistic work 

 on medicine cases (Inro), netsukes, tassels, and sword hilts 

 for several centuries. It is generally believed that most of 

 this coral was imported, and the fact that the Japanese word 

 for coral, " Sango," so closely resembles the Chinese word 

 " Sanhu " or " Sangu " suggests that it may have passed 

 through the Chinese markets. 



However, at an early period, coral of a different species 

 but of a similar quality as regards texture and colour was 

 discovered in the bay of Tosa ; but, according to Kitahara,^ 

 the fishery was carried on in secret and consequently very 

 much restricted in output, because the Daimyo of Tosa was 

 afraid that the coral might be commandeered by the Shoguns. 

 In this connexion it is interesting to note that on some of the 

 ornamental designs of the seventeenth century a branch of 

 red coral is depicted in the hands or the net of a dwarf, 

 curly-haired, dark, and prognathic fisherman, obviously not 

 a native of Japan. This may have been designed to throw 

 the Shoguns off the scent of a native fishery, but there is just 

 a possibility that it has reference to another coral fishery 

 in some distant country of which all other evidence has been 

 lost. 



It was not until the Meiji reform of 1868 that the pro- 

 hibition on the coral fishery was removed and an extensive 

 and lucrative export trade from Japan was developed. 



The earliest reference that can be found on the use of 

 red coral by the natives of the Malay Archipelago is by 

 Rumphius, who wrote at the end of the seventeenth century. 

 He tells us that the red coral is called by the Malays " San- 

 hosu," a word which is remarkably like the Chinese " Sanhu " 

 and the Japanese " Sango," and therefore suggests that they 



^ In the Paulus Aegineta, published by the Sydenham Society, it is stated 

 on the authority of a Dr. Ainshe that the Tamool practitioners prescribed 

 red coral, when calcined, in cases of diabetes and bleeding piles. 



- Journ. Imp. Fisheries Bureau, Japan, xiii., 1904. 



