108 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 177 
parallel, slanting lines of alternating direction with punctates 
in the triangular zone formed when the direction is changed 
(pl. 27, a). 
8. Areas of punctates divided or bounded by incised lines. Motif 3 
is characterized by trianguloid, ovoid or irregularly shaped areas 
filled with punctates, bounded by but not typically enclosed by 
incised lines (pl. 27, g-j; fig. 48, d-e). Like Motif 1, this decora- 
tion covers a large portion of the interior or exterior vessel surface. 
Associated techniques: Occasional vessels have adornos of Akawabi Incised 
and Modeled, Motif 4 (pl. 26 b) or additional decoration of Aruka Incised. 
TEMPORAL DIFFERENCES WITHIN THE TYPE: Motifs 2 (lines alternating with punc- 
tates) and 3 (areas of punctates) appear to be restricted to the upper (late) 
part of the Mabaruma Phase sequence (Appendix, table 11). No trends are 
discernible in vessel shape popularity (Appendix, table 10). 
CHRONOLOGICAL POSITION OF THE TYPE: Although there are a few sporadic occur- 
rences of Kaituma Incised and Punctate in the lower (early) part of the 
sequence, the type is characteristic of the middle to upper (late) part of the 
Phase (fig. 48). 
KOBERIMO PLAIN 
PASTE: 
Method of manufacture: Coiling; breakage along the coil lines not always 
distinct for the erasure of the coils in most cases is complete. 
Temper: Muscovite mica mixed with medium to fine sand containing water- 
worn quartz, feldspar, and iron pyrites particles under 1 mm. in size. 
Mica particles range from pinpoint size to large laminated pieces 3 by 5 
mm. in area, and are abundant so that on most sherds the surfaces are 
speckled with shiny mirrorlike particles (pl. 28, b, gt). Koberimo Plain 
sherds were examined by E. P. Henderson, Division of Mineralogy, U.S. 
National Museum, who suggests that the mica was not added to the paste 
from a decomposing mica outcrop but instead comes from sand that con- 
tained a high percentage of mica. The mica and sand particles are all 
waterworn. 
Texture: Fairly compact, fine to medium coarse paste depending on the size 
of the accompanying sand particles; very few sherds are coarse. Paste 
sandy to feel but not friable. Fairly good tensile strength. Larger pieces 
of mica bind the paste so that the mica tears upon breaking the sherd or 
pulls out, leaving flat platy holes. 
Color: Fired tan to brown in a band along both surfaces from paper thin- 
ness to 1-2 mm. wide leaving a gray or black core. Sometimes fired 
orange to tan through the entire cross section. 
Firing: Oxidized, incomplete in most cases; many fire clouds typical. 
SURFACES : 
Color: Exterior—tan to brown, occasionally bright orange. Interior— 
usually tan to brown but sometimes gray or gray black. Exposed mica 
temper particles give both surfaces a speckled, sparkling appearance. 
Treatment: Scraped to erase the coil lines, generally smooth to the touch 
but with some unevenness making the body wall thickness variable on a 
single sherd. Thinner walled sherds are well smoothed on both surfaces, 
whereas thicker sherds are only irregularly scraped. The smoothing proec- 
ess has been done well enough so that pits do not occur; this surface 
treatment coupled with the paste characteristics makes a surface that is 
resistant to erosion. 
Hardness: 2.5-3. 
