east of British New Guinea, as receptacles for the bones of the 



dead.^ 



Earthen vessels are neither manufactured or used in the East 



Caroline group, nor are they preserved or found there as relics, so 



far as my observation in 

 the islands goes. However, 

 after making a comparative 

 study of the native words 

 representing " wooden bowl " 

 and " earthen vessel " in the 

 Micronesian group. Christian 



Fig. 49. — Pottery from Palan. 



notices a coincidence and re- 

 marks as follows : " the occurrence of tliis common word over so wide 

 an area, points unmistakably to the gradual substitution of wooden 

 for earthen vessels in Micronesia, owing to the industry of pottery- 

 making falling into abeyance in certain spots where no suitable clay 

 or kaolin was available.'"^ In spite of liis conclusion, we have never 

 heard or seen it stated that pottery was unearthed from the ruins in 

 Kusaie or from the ruins at Nanmatal in Ponapé, though a number of 

 shell axes and of what are believed to be shell ornaments have been 

 dug out. On tlie contrary, pieces of earthen vessels can easily be 

 collected in the fields in Palau. This may be due, in part, to the fact 

 that these vessels are now in use in Palau ; but in the East Caroline 

 Islands, potsherds are not found, which is one of tlie reasons why 

 we doubt that earthen vessels have ever been used in those islands. 

 It is not yet known what ethnological relations the builders of the 

 ruins in Kusaie and Ponapé have with the present dwellers of the 

 islands, neither is it known what age they belonged to ; but the 



1 C. G. Seligraanc, "The Malanesians of British New Guinea" p. 732: PI. LXXVIII. 



2 F. W. Christian, " The Caroline Islands," p. 12'J. 



