338 Mcinoiis Bcjiiicc P. Bisliot' Miiscuin 



and base are left rough. The smooth surface of some new and unused specimens would seem 

 to indicate the use of some sort of abrasive for the final finishing, but informants who were 

 themselves makers insisted that this was not the case. The body of the imjjlement is some- 

 times rubbed w'ith a mixture of coconut charcoal and oil which gives it a shiny black finish 

 contrasting pleasantly with the grey of the head. 



Informants of Ua Huka insist that the ancient process of manufacture was 

 essentially the same except that stone adzes were emploved instead of the 

 modern steel axe. The stune used on Ua Huka could probabh- have been worked 

 in this way and the information may be correct for this liica]it\-. but in other 

 islands a variety of rock was employed, some of which could hardl\- liave been 

 worked with stone adzes. The heads of luanv of the old pounders show marks 

 which make it seem certain that they were finished In- i)ecking. 



MODERN POUXDERS 



The modern commercial pounders all conform to a single well-marked tvpe 



(PL LI, ./, 2). 



The pounders are characterized by a neck of oval cross section which expands to form 

 the head and the body of the implement. There is no clear line of demarkati<:)n between these 

 parts and it is impossible to say where one ends and another begins. F"rom the neck the body 

 flares outward toward the base, wdiich is circular, so that when seen in profile the sides of the 

 pounder appear concave. The bottom is convex, with a rather low curve, and is always left 

 rough. The head is oval in horizontal cross section, the lower part contracting gradually to- 

 ward the neck. The upper ])art has the form of a high rounded dome and is divided into two 

 equal lobes by a transverse groove whicli extends down either side almost to the point of maxi- 

 mum width of the head. The surface of these lobes is left rough, ajiparently with ornamen- 

 tal intent, and the whole form is clearly phallic. 



ANCIENT POUNDERS 



The natives themselves classify pounders according to use, recognizing 

 four distinct classes as follows: (i) popoi pounders, (2) pounders for infant 

 food, (3) salt pounders, (4) children's ])ounders. They also recognize certain of 

 these implements as forming a fifth distinct class whose use has been forgotten. 

 As these native classifications according to use are correlated with dififerences in 

 the size and form of the implements, they will ser\-e as the basis for the present 

 descriptions. 



POPOI POUNDERS 



Fo/'o; pounders are numerically mucli more im])ortant than tliose of any 

 other class, practically all large pounders belonging under this head. They are 

 divided by the natives on the basis of size and weight into men's and women's 

 pounders, the larger implements being used by the men. All f^opoi pounders are 

 known by the generic term kca fiiki popoi (stone to beat popoi) but those having 

 flat heads are also known as opii (stomach). The i)hallic forms do not apjjcar to 

 have had special names. The term applied to the tiki-headed pounders was 

 descriptive, meaning carved pounder. 



1/8] 



