April 9, 1896J 



NA rURE 



547 



painting. As Boggiani justly observes, the decorative art of the 

 Caduveos is not the casual result of a complication of rude and 

 jirimitive designs, but that of a logical study of the harmony 

 and aesthetic combination of lines and figures. 



Boggiani, after a long and careful comparative study of the 

 ornamental designs of the Caduveos, comes to the conclusion 

 that they show distinct affinities with ancient Peruvian art. In 

 a paper read in September last, at the Italian Geographical Con- 

 gress,^ he gives a very interesting account of ornamental designs 

 found on the skin of Peruvian mummies, and comes to the 

 opinion that they were painted, not tattooed, the designs and the 

 process being similar to that practised by the modern Caduveos, 

 who stain their skin with the juice of the Genipa in ornamental 

 designs of a blue-black colour, which penetrates partially the 

 epidermis, and is sufficiently durable, lasting six or seven days ; 

 as the staining process of Genipa-juice, darkening by the action 

 of light, is rather slow, powdered charcoal is added to heighten 

 the effect. The instruments used are small sticks, to the end of 

 which a tuft of cotton-wool is in certain cases tied ; the artists 

 are women. A red dye is obtained from the well-known Urucii 

 or Bixa orellana, but it is far less durable. The Caduveos paint 

 thus the feet and lower part of the legs, besides the face ; the 

 designs vary ad iufinitttiit. 



Boggiani describes the Caduveos 2& tall and well-made, of a light 

 bronze colour ; the hair is worn short and well combed and 

 greased; the upper incisors are filed to a point; depilation is scru- 

 pulously practised. They are cleanly, often bathing and washing 

 their bodies. The men wear a piece of cotton cloth from the waist 

 downwards, held by a belt, richly decorated ; the women have, 



arrows are, however, yet in use for the chase and for fishing. 

 Boggiani was able to secure a few rough stone axes, but they 

 were designated as " sky stones," and used for crushing nuts. 

 The Caduveos have canoes or dug-outs of different sizes, which 

 they manage with skill. The chiefs, and their descendants also 

 in the female line, form a sort of nobility, now more numerous 

 than the commoners ; the lower caste is formed by slaves, often 

 the descendants of captured Chamacocos. The head chief is 

 called Mbaya, a name which is also applied to the whole tribe ; 

 his authority is not great, and much freedom exists amongst the 

 heads of families ; even the slaves are well treated, and often 

 ultimately are considered free. One wife is married, and the 

 bridegroom goes to live in the house of the bride, taking with 

 him the family poles, which are driven in the ground in front of 



besides, an upper garment covering the breast. Often both men 

 and women have also a kind of poncho, which hangs from the 

 shoulders, leaving the arms free. Necklaces, bracelets, and ear- 

 pendants of beads or silver tubes are universally worn ; they 

 make their silver ornaments with skill and taste. The men 

 smoke tobacco in cigarettes or in wooden pipes, tastefully carved 

 in wood ; the women only chew tobacco. The Caduveos were 

 not many years ago skilful weavers of cotton cloth ; at present 

 the advent of cheap cotton textiles from Europe has virtually 

 destroyed the native art. Boggiani was, however, able to secure 



me specimens, and the weaving and spinning apparatus. 



As I have noted already, it is in the potter's art that the 

 Ciiduveos excel ; it is also the work of women ; the ornamenta- 

 tion is rich, varied, and quite peculiar. The designs are traced 

 on the unbaked clay with a cord ; red is obtained with oxide of 

 iron, black with the resin of Palo satito, white with a kind of 

 chalk. The earthenware of the Caduveos presents a large 

 variety in shapes and sizes. The only neighbouring tribe who 

 do anything of the kind are the Gtianh, but their ware is inferior 

 in all respects. 



The Caduveos now possess European weapons ; bows and 



1 G. Boggiani, " Tatuag^i 

 usanza delle popolazioni dell 

 Roma, 1895. 



Pittura? Studio intorno ad una curiosa 

 ' antico Peru." Atti del IT Congresso Geografico, 



the sleeping-place of the newly-married couple ; these poles are 

 carved with totemistic designs. 



The Caduveos are at present much reduced in numbers, and 

 Boggiani foresees their speedy extinction. Many are the causes 

 which have led to this, derived from the contact with the whites ; 

 but it must not be forgotten that abortion and infanticide are, 

 unfortunately, but too frequent amongst the Caduveo women, 

 who only care to rear one child. They are, besides, cursed 

 with the red man's love for strong drinks. Otherwise they are 

 gay and sociable, delight in dances to the sound of drum and 

 flute, and in a game very much like golf; pugilistic bouts, 

 coram fopulo, are also in great favour, in which men, women 

 and children join. 



The Caduveos have medicine-men or sorcerers, who mono- 

 polise the spiritual and mystic rites, and effect cures. One, 

 whom Boggiani saw practising with a piece of a glass mirror 

 and a bunch of feathers on a dark night, was a Chamacoco. 



Boggiani writes well, he is a careful observer, and has proved 

 himself an excellent collector ; he is to be sincerely congratulated 

 on the good work he has hitherto done for ethnology, and we 

 cannot but cordially join in the hope he expresses of being able 

 to continue and complete his investigations of the native tribes 

 of the Northern Chaco and adjoining regions. 



He.nry H. Gir.Lioi.i. 



NO. 1380, VOL. 53] 



