x ORNAMENTS FOR THE EARS AND LIPS 121 



that it shall be known that they are married. Women's 

 ear-rings are of great consequence, for no woman ven- 

 tures to leave them off during the husband's lifetime. 

 Should she happen to take them off whilst doing her 

 work, she would, on his approach, run into the hut and 

 resume them, so that he should not see her without 

 them. If the husband went away from home she 

 would not venture to take the ear-rings off for fear 

 other men should see her without them. 



A Stone Ball, weighing '2 Ib. 14 oz., used by 

 the Masai for enlarging the hole in the 

 lobe of the ear. (British Museum.) 



Boys and girls insert blocks of wood into their ears ; 

 warriors and old men wear chain ear-rings. No Masai 

 elder may wear the ear-rings called 'surutya unless 

 he has children who have been circumcised and become 

 warriors. When the father dies the whole family mourns 

 for him ; the widows lay aside their ear-rings, necklaces, 

 and beads for a whole year. 



Thus it is clear that the ear ornaments are full of 

 significance as representing the age and social state of 

 men, boys and women among the Masai. It doubtless 



