26 . 



tain Golden Ornaments, and other articles, in the Museum 

 of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Mr. Ball having urged on those who study antiquities 

 the importance of applying observation and analogy to the 

 solving of antiquarian difficulties, shewed how these instru- 

 ments of inquiry should be applied, by the study of races of 

 mankind at present existing, whose state may be supposed 

 somewhat similar to that in which the people were into whose 

 history inquiry is proposed to be made ; it being fair to look 

 for like eifects from similar causes. He referred to a former 

 paper, read January, 1844, in which he shewed how metal 

 celts, identical in form with those found in Ireland, were 

 used at the present day on the east coast of Africa ; and how 

 stone celts, also similar to those of Ireland, were used in 

 Mexico. Applying the same reasoning to explain the object 

 and use of the golden ornaments called by some diadems, by 

 others gorgets or collars, he mentioned that in the Sandwich 

 Islands the natives used stone celts precisely similar to those 

 found in Ireland ; they also had those curious lentilform discs 

 of stone, precisely identical with those found in Ireland, and 

 to which sundry fanciful uses have been ascribed, but which 

 Cook and others found to be used as bowls in a favourite 

 game of the natives, who had bone bodkins, &c., similar to 

 those of olden time in Ireland ; it was, therefore, little more 

 than was to be expected, to find analogies to the golden or- 

 naments found associated with the celts and bowls to which 

 Mr. Ball referred. This, he maintained, he had done, in one 

 case at least, that of the golden ornament referred to, which 

 has its representative in the Sandwich Isles, where gold is 

 not known. Sharks' teeth, mother of pearl, feathers, and bas- 

 ket work, are so put together, as was shewn by the figures 

 exhibited, as in all but material to resemble the ornaments of 

 gold in the most striking manner. 



From the way in which the ornaments of the Sandwich 



