CLOTHING AND ORNAMENT. IO3 



is plaited from mycélium; at Nagramâdu I also saw wrist bands of this material and I remem- 

 ber to hâve seen them at many other places. SCHMELTZ supposes that wooden wrist rings, 

 some carved in the shape of a neck vertebra of the Dugong, (De CLERCQ and SCHMELTZ 

 [1893, 34, N°. 14g, PL IX, fig. 17]), sometimes serve as a protection against the string of the 

 bow, (1. c. [1S93, 234]). This purpose is also ascribed to the wrist ornaments, which only 

 consist of fragments of shells, attached to wrist strings festooned as per fig. 56 or not; — in 

 contradiction to which I would however point out that in ordinary circumstances the ornamental 

 fragments of shells are arranged on the back of the wrist (figs. 28, 37, 39, 51, 55; PI. XXXIII, 

 XXXVII, XL and XL VI). Generally speaking, wrist ornaments are not much used in Papua 

 Talandjang (see PL XXXI — L), towards Geelvink Bay however women and children often 

 wear fairly heavy shell rings round both wrists (see figs. n, 27, 32, 42, 57, 174). The broad 

 rings of Conus as met with at Wari (X°. 50 f, PL XVII, fig. 5) are hère rather rare, and 

 appear to be the product of a spécial industry established on the western islands. De CLERCQ 

 (De Clercq and Schmeltz [1893, 35, N°. 163, PL VIII, fig. 14; 36, N°. 175, PL VI, fig. 7] 

 found both his spécimens on Salawâti and Waigéu, whilst spécimen N°. 501, called samfâre, 

 was also declared to hâve been obtained from Salawâti, where the name is samfar. Generally 

 it is worn, just as MARTIN [1894, 123] observed of the mountaineers of Ceram, round the 

 left wrist, as it would be too troublesome on the right. In the west wrist bands of silver are 

 hammered out of pièces of 2 1 j. 2 guilders, but on Ron, according to what missionary W. L. 

 JEXS told me, the art of moulding silver articles is also understood, the material being heated 

 in potsherds. Fingerrings, some made of bone (shark), others of tortoise shell, very com- 

 mun in the west, (De CLERCQ and SCHMELTZ [1893, 40 and 41, PL XII]), do not occur in 

 the eastern parts of the north coast. Regarding Br. X. G. see MACGREGOR [1897, 46]. 



The lower limbs obtain only a small share of the décorations of the body, with 

 which the Papuan especially is very lavish. 



De Clercq and Schmeltz [1893, 50] mention bands with shells attached, as a thigh ornament of 

 Humboldt Bay, which hâve not been met with 

 before or since and from British New Guinea the 

 Berlin Muséum contains e. a. from the Central 

 District a fine band (N°. 4307), made after the 

 pattern of fig. 67 (rare for the Netherl. territory), 

 out of fine cord, described as „Schenkelschmuck": 

 it is a closed band and therefore would hâve to 

 be passed over foot -and calf. Fig. 67. Pattern of a rope band. 



A band worked after the same pattern, 

 3.5 cm. broad, 21 cm. in length, open, provided with strings for tying, from the Papuan Gulf District 

 (N°. 20852) has extra intercalated, straight running cords. Parkinson [1900, 27] referring to the Berlin 

 Harbour section, mentions „geknûpfte" leg ornaments, which are worn under the knee, but the closed 

 shape makes it difficult for me to understand how thèse bands can be passed over the foot. Possibly they 

 are plaited on the body of the maie or female wearer. Fixsch [1888 — 93, 250], at ail events, mentions from 

 there bands of grass, threads or split rattan, which tightly fit round the leg below the knee; but the very few 

 fine spécimens met with by him [1888a, PL XVIII, fig. 2] are open, like those of the présent collection and 

 provided at the ends with strings, with which they are to be tied. Erdweg [1902, 323] describing the 

 Papuan in festive dress, ornamented from head to foot, does not mention any ornament of the lower limbs. 



