ADZE HANDLES. 



89 



club-like handle to which it is also attached b^^ a cord. In the Berne museum is an 

 adze from Tahiti which seems to be the Hawaiian form reversed, and it makes a simple 

 handle. The specimen in the Hamburg museum attributed to the Marshall islands 

 seems to be unique and differs greatly from the ordinary handles of that group, as 

 shown in Fig. 85 ; Herr C. W. Luders should, however, be well informed on the locality. 

 The knob is the puzzling feature. In F, the specimen from the Berlin museum, we 

 have perhaps the most primitive method of handling. 



FIG. 86. VARIOUS ADZK HANDLES. 



A. New Caledonia, in the Vienna Museum. 



B. New Caledonia, in the Copenhagen Museum. 



C. Bismarck archipelago, Dresden Museum, 



D. Society islands, in the Berne Museum. 



E. Marshall islands, in the Hamburg Museum. 



F. Hermit islands, in the Berlin Museum. 



To return to the specimens at hand : two adzes from the Gilbert islands, shown 

 in Fig. 87, closely resemble the Hawaiian form, although the stone is replaced 

 with shell ; but I am by no means sure that these handles, which were obtained within 

 a few years, represent the ancient form. The}- may have been taken from Hawaiian 

 patterns, the intercourse between these groups having been close since the establish- 

 ment of the Hawaiian Board of Missions some fifty years ago. The Maori adzes shown 

 in Fig. 88 have been handled within twenty years, and are supposed to show the 

 ancient form. It will be noticed that feathers are used to decorate, much as on the 

 tomahawk of the Amerind, and these adzes or axes were used as weapons by the Alaori, 

 one or both of these specimens having been found on a famous battle field. 



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