Boas] GEOMETRIC FORMS 327 
The trapezoids in Sketch 580 may have arisen from a mistake in 
the creation of the lowest one, or from a miscalculation in the draw- 
ing of a pattern of triangles, the oblique lines not slanting sharply 
enough for the width of the stripe. Such speculation is only per- 
missible when the rare occurrence of the figure is considered together 
with its appearance in such an unusual position. The design is 
called “bead,” “beaded edge,’ or “caterpillar,” the first two on 
account of the elements involved, the third because of the general 
arrangement. The trapezoids in Sketch 576 are unusual. On account 
of their subdivision into layers, they are named “dentalia,’”’ but the 
whole pattern is a ladder because of the diagonal alignment of the 
elements and the stepped edge. Design 581 is known as one of 
several varieties of snake. Its roughly trapezoidal form is un- 
doubtedly the result of radiating lines, therefore it is probably not 
intended to be a real trapezoid. Its assignment to this group is 
merely for convenience. 
Tur HrExaGon AND OcTAGON 
The hexagon and the octagon are comparatively rare figures.” 
Hexagons are occasionally noted as the second or third outlines of 
diamonds forming meshes of net patterns and may eyen be seen 
surrounding single figures (see Sketches 541 and 542). There is 
little doubt that they are related to truncated diamonds. It is 
quite probable that their historic development in this region came 
from this direction, for solid hexagons or those indicated by a single 
outline are never seen, at least on basketry, although their delinea- 
tion is as feasible as that of the other figures habitually used. The 
hexagons appearing in series doubly outlined and connected are 
shown in Sketches 582 and 583. They are commonly known as 
grave-box patterns, although a number of informants have stated 
that the octagon is the real grave-box design (lukaist) and that 
hexagons and squares employed for this purpose are merely varia- 
tions or ‘false designs.”’ To the figure shown in Sketch 582 is attrib- 
uted several other interpretations, such as snare and circle; oddly 
enough, it is also described as being half of design 584. 
The octagonal forms 584 to 587 are all called grave-box patterns, 
but owing to the connection of the figures in 586, not by actual 
contact of the sides, but by the double line serving as a string, it is 
sometimes called ‘big bead” or “necklace,” while the central dots 
in the figures shown in 587 may account for the name “eye” which 
is sometimes heard. The large single octagons shown in 588 and 
589 are interpreted primarily as the full moon, but it can easily be 
seen why such terms as “circle,” “snare,’”’ and “part of grave box” 
are given to the former, although just how such a description as 
“half horizontal of a zigzag or meander” came to be associated with 
it is not clear. 
58 Sketches 582-589, pl. 89. 
53666°—28——22 
