374 



Mciitoirs Bcniicc P. Bislioj-' Museum 



FLORAL DESIGNS 



Representations of plant forms are quite rare, and true floral designs are 

 represented by only three examples. In two of these, whicli ajjpear upon 

 the bottoms of two bowls so closely similar in other details that they are proli- 

 ably the work of the same artist, the center of the flower is represented by two 

 concentric circles, around which the petals, represented by small ovals, are 

 placed radially. The interior of some of the petals is decorated with herring- 

 bone design. (See fig. 9, a.) Upon a third specimen, groujjs of small i)ointed 

 ovals, apparentlv representing bunches of leaves, are used to fill in the details of 

 one of the larger designs. (»See fig. 9, b.) 



FiGTRE 9. — Drawings of ]\hu"quesan floral designs. 



From the specimens examined it seems that angular-geometric designs ]ilav- 

 ed a \-erv minor part upon most containers, but they appear on a few s])ecimens to 

 the practical exclusion of curvilinear designs. Specimens showing anvthing like an 

 equal fre(|uency of occurrence of the two types of design appear to be entirely 

 lacking. At the same time there is a strong tendency to give an angular form 

 to designs which are basicly curvilinear. This tendency is most pronounced in 

 the new specimens. The commonest of all design elements apjjcar to have been 

 the spiral and the hook scroll, segments of concentric ovals or rectangles rank- 

 ing next in importance. Tiki figures, representations of animals or insects and 

 combinations of crosses and hook scrolls are the most important motifs, as dis- 

 tinguished from design elements. Mata and kaakc are rare, while pokaa and 

 cipuoto are not common. 



COMPARISON OF POLYNESIAN CONTAINER DESIGNS 



Containers decorated with carved designs ap])ear to have been unknown in 

 western Polynesia and Hawaii. In other regions, except Easter Island and Chat- 

 ham Islands, thev were used to a greater or less extent, but reached their highest 



* The relation of Marqtie-^rn ilejiigns a?; n whole to those of other parts of Poljnesia have lieeii cliscusscd fully in a 

 paper by Ruth C.reincr (75). ()iily the most important |i"ints will he eiuinierated here. 



