Stone Implements for Kapa-making. 



If we except the natural stones placed under the ends of the kua kiikii or anvil 

 for beating the kapa on, and the stones used to keep the bundles of bark beneath the 

 surface while soaking in the brook, we have thus far met with no stone implements 

 either in Hawaii or elsewhere,'" for we can hardly call the stones pnt on the edges of 

 the great sheets of kapa (as paper weights) to prevent distnrbance by the wind while 

 bleaching, or on the smaller sheets just from the printer, bj- a term so dignified. And 

 3'et, I remember there is a cut stone often used on the Hawaiian group for the same 

 purpose, a weight, and it is included in the little group of stone tools figured below, 

 as it is used more in other wa5's (grinding herbs for therapeutic application, etc.). 

 I need onh' refer to it as Fig. 70, a, where it appears as a rude stone signet ring, and 



b c d 



FIG. 70. STONE IMPLEMENTS USED IN KAPA WORK. 



was conveniently formed for handling, while the weight (9 lbs. 2 oz.) was sufficient 

 to hold the light kapa firmly to the ground. 



Strictly, the kapa-making ends with this; and the following are used in the 

 preparation of the dyes for decorating the kapa, or the sachet-powders for scenting the 

 finished fabric. It is not a long nor a varied list, as may be seen in Fig. 70, where 

 are collected all the stone objects known to be especially devoted to this use. It is of 

 course understood that for crushing the kukui or kamani nuts for the extradlion of 

 their oil larger stone mortars were used, and these have been figured and described in 

 a former work."' Rude and simple, carrj-ing one in thought back to the stone age, 

 are these little cups and mortars, but thej^ served their purpose well in their time and 

 now rest from their labors on the Museum shelves. In the figure /; was a cup to hold 

 the dye for the bambu stamps ; c was the hollowed stone for the niuller used to grind 

 the ochre {alaea) of various shades of yellow and red found in many places on this 



"In Mexico small stone beaters were used. These will be illustrated in the appendix. 



'^Ancient Hawaiian Stone Implements, Memoirs, vol. I, p. 366. Plate xlvi of the same volume -shows rinj; 

 poi-ponnders like in form to the presser already mentioned, and which maj^ well be an ill-made or partly-shaped 

 poi-pounder. ( 1 13 ) 



Memoihh li. 1*. B. MrSKtJM. \'oi.. III.— s. 



