DECORATIVE CARVING. 265 



deal of the peculiar carving, not only in the tombs, but also 

 in the dwelling-houses and furniture. We did, however, see 

 two specimens of this native art as used in building : first, just 

 before entering the Tanala country, and again, immediately 

 on leaving the forest on our return home. The first example 

 Avas at a village called Ivalokianja; in the house where 

 we stopped was the first example I had seen of decorative 

 carving in Malagasy houses, the external faces of the main 

 posts being carved with a simple but effective ornament of 

 squares and diagonals. There was also other ornamentation 

 much resembling our national flag. The gables were filled 

 with a neat platted work of split bamboo. The other 

 example was at a small hamlet called Ifandriana. The three 

 centre posts of the house in which we stayed were all 

 covered with carving of much the same character as that 

 used in the memorial posts already described, but it was not 

 quite so well executed. The nearly square window-shutters 

 had each a circular ornament carved upon them, much like 

 the conventional representations of the sun, with rays pro- 

 ceeding from a centre. 



One of the most perfect examples of the carved memorial 

 post we saw the same day, in the morning, at the pictu- 

 resquely-situated village of Ivohitrambo. This village is 

 perched like an eagle's nest on the summit of a lofty cone of 

 rock, on the edge of the interior highland, and overlooking 

 the great iorest, the country of the Tanala tribes, above 

 which it towers about 2500 feet. This memorial was close 

 to the village, and was very perfect, the carving very sharp, 

 and the stage near the top in good preservation, with about 

 thirty ox skulls and horns still in their places. In many 

 cases, figures of oxen and men are carved in some of the 

 panels or compartments of these memorial posts, but the 

 ornament is chiefly conventional. 



Of B^tsileo ornament, Mr. G-. A. Shaw says : " It is a 

 significant fact that the simple designs are almost identical 

 with the same species of ornamentation in Polynesia." "" 

 On a carved hatchet handle from Mangaia in his possession 



* Antananarivo Annual, No. iv. p. 1 1. 



