362 Memoirs Bcniicc P. Bishop Musciiiii 



Round wooden bowls (PI. Lix, F) are still in use in all native house- 

 holds. The larger bowls are called porci. the smaller ipo or toliakc. 



In bowls of ordinary sizes the form is that of a segment of a sphere, but this is some- 

 what modified in the case of the large feast bowls, which are rarely over nine inches deep, 

 although they may have a diameter of over four feet. Flat bottoms, meeting the sides at 

 an angle, appear to be unknown. In most large and many small specimens the sides have a 

 slight external recurve at the rim. and in practically all round towls the greatest width of the 

 interior is a short distance below the rim. The rims are flat and relatively wide, meeting the 

 inner and outer surfaces of the body at sharp angles. In most bowls the rim is horizontal 

 but in some the inner edge is considerably higher than the outer. 



At least two types of very deep circular bowls were used in ancient times. 

 One of these, called kipo, was used on the island of Xuku Hiva for kazv. It was 

 about ten inches tall and eight inches in diameter, and is said to have been pro- 

 'vided with a small flat base (Handy, personal correspondence). In Hiva Oa a 

 large, very deep bowl of foa or iiiio wood \\-as sometimes used in the burial 

 caves as a container for the skull of a chief or beloved relative. The practice 

 was rare, however, and the description is based upon a single specimen found 

 some years ago in a burial place. The original bowl was not seen as its finder had 

 used it as a container for his wife's skull, but according to natives who had 

 handled it, it was elaborately carved and had the form of the deep Hawaiian 

 ninckc (8. a. p. 161 and fig. 142). 



A description of a special type of small circular container, called hue po'o 

 was obtained in Pua INIa'u, Hiva Oa, by Handy. 



This container was provided with a lid having a knob handle in which there was a cavity 

 much like the sponge container of a modern humidor. Human Hesh was packed into the 

 cavity, and as it decayed the juice dripped down into the l»wl below. The fluid was wiped out 

 from time to time with green taro leaves and eaten as a delicacy. The object of the peculiar 

 handle arrangement is said to have been to guard against the theft of the flesh. The container 

 was provided with a long loop handle, probably like those used on coconut bowls, and was 

 carried slung around the neck. 



i\Iany circular bowls were provided with fiber handles which were at- 

 tached to one side and served for the suspension of the utensil when not in use. 

 The simplest of these handles consisted of a loop of sennit passed through a 

 hole below the rim of the bowl and held by a knot on the inside. In another 

 simple form two holes were drilled, the loop being passed through both. The 

 most characteristic handle attachment, which is still used on most well made 

 bowls (PI. LIX, D) is made as follows: 



A hole is bored in the side of the vessel a short distance below the rim. care being 

 taken not to pierce the inner wall. A second hole is then bored downward through the rim, 

 meeting the first at right angles. .\ loop of cord, braided continuously or spliced at the ends, 

 is then inserted in the lateral hole and fastened by a wooden plug driven downward through 

 the vertical hole. The top of the plug is cut off flush with the rim. Handles of this sort 

 were sometimes decorated by stringing upon the loop large seeds or pieces of carved bone. 



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