106 BULLETIN 137, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



on the obverse extending from the top to the bottom of the shield 

 at the center. These shell beads are of the same variety as the larger 

 shell piece capping the truncated boss elevation. Reverse of shield 

 is plain. A median ridge elevation extends from upper transversely 

 placed reinforcing clamps to the lower similarly placed clamps. 

 Grip cut out of the solid underneath the boss elevation. 



Length of shield, 122 centimeters (43 inches) ; width, 24 centi- 

 meters (9.5 inches). Collected by Misses E. H. and S. S. Metcalf. 

 Cat. No. 286247, U.S.N.M. (PL 1.) 



OUong shield, textile pattern, Bag oho, Mindanao.— This oblong 

 wooden shield is one of the most beautiful examples of Bagobo handi- 

 craft. The outline conforms to the generalized type of oblong shield 

 occurring in the southern islands of the Philippine Archipelago. 

 The breadth of the weapon combined with the sectional thinness is 

 unusual. Reinforcing splints of bamboo are placed transversely near 

 the incurved top and base. Convexity of the obverse side is such as 

 to inscribe a semicircle. The scalloped lateral edges are inset with 

 tufted human hair, cut in tufts 10 to 12 centimeters long. Both the 

 obverse and the reverse sides have carvings covering surfaces except 

 on the central panels. Figured designs are minute, variegated, and 

 probably meaningless; they represent a conventionalized arabesque 

 floriated and other geometric designs in rickrack pattern, consisting 

 of diamond shape, triangular, quadrangular, swastika, and other 

 figured patterns arranged in longitudinal contiguity. 



Length of shield, 97 centimeters (37.3 inches) ; breadth, 38 centi- 

 meters (14.9 inches). Collected by the Misses E. H. and S. S. Met- 

 calf. Cat. No. 286249, U.S.N.M. (PI. 1.) 



BODY AUMOU AND HKLMETS 



Distribution of the cuirass and helmet,' origin,' materials em- 

 ployed. — Body armor is common to the Indonesian war complex. It 

 occurs not only among the primitive Indonesian tribes in the Philip- 

 pines, but among the primitive Malayans elsewhere in western 

 Malaysia. Materials employed are the bark of trees, as in Nias 

 Island, or sheet metal of tin, or thin iron plate, horn, or brass, or 

 they may be made of rattan or cotton quilting. Corselets of hard- 

 Avood, horn, or brass occur in widely separated areas in Malaysia and 

 show adaptations of primitive Malay, ancient Hindu, or Spanish 

 design. The ISloro fashion coats of mail from plates of brass or of 

 carabao horn joined w'ith chain armor of brass or iron. 



A similar complexity of origin is manifested in helmets worn by 

 the Moro. In design and ornamental work they are copies of an- 

 cient Spanish helmets, but helmets of tin or thin iron sheeting also 

 occur among the Indonesian tribes further to the east. It is quite 



