26 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 6l 



is a circular hollow or basin that the natives call the " kava bowl " of 

 the gods or giants. The New Zealand totem-pole like that of our 

 Northwest Coast was commonly carved in wood, but the same idea 

 was expressed here as in other parts of Polynesia by great stones 

 often uncut. 



As we depart from the Nile, the home of the obelisk, southward 

 into Abyssinia, we find representations of the obelisk of somewhat 

 different forms and probably of different development. The main 

 difference outside of the form appears to be the absence of inscrip- 

 tions and a departure from the square section with equal faces. 



The best Abyssinian obelisks would seem to represent sacred 

 buildings, or sun houses consecrated to Baal, being connected with 

 sabeism or sun-worship, a pagan cult that antedated the introduction 

 of Christianity into Abyssinia, but which has left in that country 

 several architectural survivals, among which may be mentioned cir- 

 cular churches with doorways at the cardinal points, and ceremonial 

 rites as dances before the church altars. 



It is almost impossible, indeed not necessary, to enumerate or 

 describe all the monoliths of Abyssinia. The type is a characteristic 

 one. Bent 1 estimates that there are 50 of these stones standing in 

 the holy city, Aksum, alone, and Bruce says of the Aksum pillar 

 stones : 



In one square there are 40 of these obelisks, none of which have any hiero- 

 glyphs. One large specimen is still standing, but there are two others still 

 larger that have been broken in falling. These obelisks are constructed of one 

 piece of granite, and on the top of that which is standing there is a decoration 

 somewhat Greek in appearance, that is exceedingly well carved. Below this 

 apical ornamentation there is carved on the surface of the stone a door-bolt 

 and lock, as if to represent an entrance into a rear room. The form of the 

 lock and bolt resemble those used in Egypt and Palestine at the present day. 



One instructive fact about the Aksum obelisks is that they present 

 all varieties of form, from the rude unhewn stone to a highly finished 

 obelisk with polished surface. The simplest form is a monolith set on 

 end, and an intermediate stage of the series is represented by a 

 squared natural rock with several notches on the corners or holes cut 

 in the angles or on the faces to indicate floors or beams. A still more 

 complicated form has four bands and accompanying circles supposed 

 to represent the end of rafters cut in relief, and the most highly real- 



1 J. Theodore Bent. The Sacred City of the Ethiopians, London, 1893. 



