2 SARAWAK ETHNOGRAPHICAL COLLECTION. 



standing or at certain periods only of their lives* is a relic of 

 magical powers more appreciated in the past than nowadays. 

 As might naturally be expected it is among the more primitive 

 Borneans that ornaments functioning also as charms are met 

 with. Thus, Kalabit youths when visiting new districts wear 

 a necklet of decorative seeds as a charm against evil spirits ; 

 Land-Dyak men also wear a necklet of beads and the canines of 

 leopard and bear when away in a strange country, the beads are 

 frequently regarded as charms against specific diseases and the 

 whole ornament is regarded as valuable enough to buy off the 

 wearer's life if that is threatened by spirit or human enemy. 

 The necklet worn by the Land-Dyak female witch-doctors de- 

 scribed below is a badge of office and magic resides in the charms 

 attached to the necklet but not in the necklet itself. Kyans and 

 Sea-Dyaks often wear round the wrist a string on which is 

 threaded an antique bead, this is a sign that once the wearer 

 was ill and lost temporarily his vital spark (Samengat), but 

 that subsequently it was recovered, whereupon he or a witch- 

 doctor tied it in with the beaded string to prevent it from 

 escaping again ; but this bead can hardly be regarded as an 

 ornament, it is a charm pure and simple and in fact a carpal 

 bone of the mouse deer or even a tatu mark is often substituted 

 for it. These are practically the only examples of " magical 

 ornaments" that I have encountered, but a few more references 

 to the restrictions imposed on the wearing of other ornaments 

 will be found scattered throughout the catalogue. 



I have been able to arrive at no better classification of 

 Ornaments than the following : — 



1. Ornaments worn in the hair and in a head-dress. 



2. Ornaments worn in the ears. 



3. Ornaments worn on the neck. 



4. Ornaments worn on the limbs. 



5. Finger rings. 



6. Ornaments worn round the body. 



7. Buttons and buckles. 



* e. g. amongst the Kyans only those who have taken heads are 

 allowed to wear ear-pegs made from the canines of the clouded leopard, 

 and amongst the Sea Dyaks only married women are supposed to 

 wear brass corsets. 



Jour. Straits Branch 



