50 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.79 



Plate 18 



Upper : Betel nut box from Sirah, Middle Celebes, collected by Dr. W. L, Abbott. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 283958. Dimensious : 8.4 inches long, 2.6 inches wide, 1.2 

 inches in diameter. 



This betel nut box consists of sections of pandanus leaf sewn together 

 and covered over with strips of mica ; the mica is brought in praus from 

 Bangaai Island on the east coast of Celebes. The box has a twilled basketry 

 lid ; a meandered floral design in color is incorporated in the walls under 

 tlie covering of mica. 



Lower: Decorated pommel, ferrule, and scabbard of Malay steel barongs from 

 Jolo, Philippine Islands. The barong at right, U.S.N.M. No. 288361, has 

 a silver-shod handle of lauan wood and a decorated pommel of dugong 

 ivory. The ivory and carved wooden pommels of the barong at the right 

 are excellent examples of the " leech " pattern, a decorative motive widely 

 diffused throughout Malaysia. Stirling found Dyak porters carving objects 

 in this intricate pattern while resting on the journey. The ferrule of 

 plaited silver wire on the handle of the barong at the left is an exquisite 

 example of Malay metal filigree work and resembles the well-known Malay 

 plaited ferrule of rattan. Apparently nowhere else in tropical countries 

 do we encounter this characteristic use of rattan. The braided Malay 

 ferrule, whether of silver wire or of rattan, rarely exceeds 1 centimeter 

 in width. 



Plate 19 



Carved wooden spoons: Philippine Islands. 



A typical form of Malay design from the Ifugao and Igorot of the island 

 of Luzon consists of figurine or spirit images forming handles of carved 

 wooden spoons. These spoous have plain bowls, but invariably have 

 anthropomorphic figures occupying the handles. They represent "Anitos," 

 or spirits whose qualities, both good and bad, are known only to the 

 primitive Malay. 



Some of these sculptures are of interest, others are quite crudely done. 

 Illustrated are two examples fairly typical. One, U.S.N.M. No. 248011, 

 8.2 inches iu length, has a handle representing a spirit or " Anito " in 

 erect posture with arms at the side and touching the knees. He wears a 

 plumed headdress represented by a 2-lobed extension of the crown of the 

 head. The other spoon illustrated, U.S.N.M. No. 35127, has a figurine 

 handle more typical of Igorot wood carving generally. It represents an 

 Anito with flexed knees, and with hands resting on thighs. 



Like all primitive peoples, the primitive Malay wood carver represents 

 a life form in the least possible number of planes. A straight line extends 

 from the top of the head to the lip, forming, thus, forehead and nose in 

 one plane. The face is triangular, extending in two divergent planes to 

 the ears, where protuberances are invariably carved. 



There is nothing of great interest in these carvings, and the general 

 level of decorative art here seen is inferior to that of Malay etched designs 

 on bamboo or executed in metal. 



Plate 20 



A bamboo comb, collected by Gen. Tasker Bliss. U.S.N.M. No. 836f>41, from 

 Mindanao, has characteristic Malay art embellishment occupying a panel 

 at the base of the comb. Zigzag nucleated circles and fretted designs form 



