228 G. A. J. VAN DER SANDE. 



natives, that in the territory of Mori, similar copper axes like those from Luwu, are found in little rivers, 

 also worn as preservatives against calamities. — In ail the above mentioned sources it is thus stated, that 

 copper axes like those from Asé, were considered as amulets in historical times, and were worn to make 

 the wearer invincible in war. Their having been carried on nautical excursions is proved by the fact, that 

 in 1679 at Ambon, Rumphius bought axes from the Tambocco people, who came to visit him. 



Groeneveldt [1887, 312, 313] mentions axes from Java (N os . 1559 — 1565), made of bronze or 

 copper, found in the district of Tjiheulang, Residency of Preanger Regentschappen, and he supposes thèse 

 to hâve been used by the Hindoos, in their religious cérémonies. As the religious rites are conservative 

 everywhere, Groeneveldt argues, that the priests may hâve stuck to the older material of copper, for tools, 

 which in every day life were then made of iron. By the kind assistance of the late Dr. J. L. A. Brandes, 

 from thèse axes I can illustrate: N os . 1560, 1561 e and is6i f , at the scale of '/ 4 (PL XXIV, figs. 4, 5 and 6). 

 They are ail characterised by the dove-tail form of the socket-part, of which in N°. 695 of Asé (PL XXIV, 

 fig. 3), part is also retained, with a little, conical hole. The possibility of thèse objects having been trans- 

 ported from Celebes, is a priori not to be rejected. 



Copper objects, alas, without further indication of their nature or shape, but also worshipped, because 

 of their- antiquity, are mentioned by Riedel [1886, 437] from Wetar, where also stone axes are worshipped; 

 and from Ceram, the sanie author [1. c, 106, 107] mentions, among the worshipped objects of olden 

 times, "tanei mutuana molia", generally hung up in a basket to the roof pôle of the dwellings. There were 

 also copper objects, among which, however, were no axes, but copper kettles, said to be of Asiatic origin, like 

 the old earthenware jars. Thèse precious objects were sometimes buried [Le, 121] for the sake of safety, 

 and, when accidentally found, raised the supposition of having been produced by the earth. I consider 

 this course of things, mentioned by Riedel, also possible with regard to the copper axes from Celebes 

 and Banggai, and if by this, a Chinese origin might gain in probability, the question again rises, whether 

 the axes from Asé were imported directly by Chinese navigators, or by those from Celebes or Ceram? 

 Baron Van Hôevell (see page 225), to whom I showed the objects, considers the last suggestion as certain, 

 and Mr. F. and P. Sarasin, though they ne ver themselves had found any such objects on Celebes, declared, after 

 examining the New Guinea thunder-spades, that the spiral ornamentation, as well as the shape ("Dilllenbeil"), 

 reminds of the culture of Celebes, to which they ascribe a bronze period of its own, thèse objects being 

 productions of the later bronze period. The décision between thèse opinions and that of Groeneveldt 

 must be left to professional ethnographers. 



As to the knob-shaped object (N°. 696, PL XXIV, fig. 1), found together with the 

 thunder-spades, this gives the impression as if the open end of the handle-part, the hollow 

 of which is directly united with the knob itself, was intended to be fastened on the top 

 of a staff; the small hollow knob at the top, has probably served as a bell, which has lost its 

 sounding bail; like the concavity of the big knob the bell is closed towards its four-sided handle. 



In a private letter of the 8* of March 1905, Mr. KRUYT declared that the shape and orna- 

 ment of the object reminds one of the lime boxes in use in the middle and the southern part of 

 Celebes, made by the To Radja (people), from calabashes or from young cocoa-nuts, and imitated 

 by the Buginese in copper, silver and gold. It is true, bells are uncommon upon thèse objects, 

 but the To Radja (people) often supply the knob (which can be unscrewed) with little strings 

 of threaded beads, which rattle against the box, when the lime is shaken out from the opposite 

 aperture. Mr. KRUVT also suggested the supposition, that the old East-Indian Company had 

 many indigenous objects imitated in copper, in order to use them as présents for native 

 chiefs, or as barter for trade. In Central Celebes the To Mori are most proficient in copper 

 industry, notwithstanding that the lack of copper on Celebes itself nécessitâtes either the 



