24 PRIMITIVE ART 
These complex designs, taken as a whole, often have special 
names, for example: a diamond-shaped figure with forked append- 
ages, as shown in the adjoining illustration (Case 25a), is sometimes 
spoken of as the “turtle” design, or 
“turtle” pattern. ~So~ far “agmeame 
makers of these designs are concerned, 
the name “turtle” is simply the pat- 
tern-name, and in no wise a represen- 
tation of the animal specified. Thus 
we have a series of decorative designs 
in which the motive is not the repre- 
sentation of objects or ideas, but 
merely an appeal to the esthetic sense. 
However, these design elements may 
be combined into wholes which do 
represent definite objects or ideas, and so become symbolic de- 
signs; but the use of designs to represent any particular idea 
does not conform to any rule, it depends rather upon the fancy of 
the maker. <A good example of 
this type of design is illustrated 
below (Case 25 a). Itrepresentsa 
decoration seen by the maker ina 
dream. Itisthusa picture of the 
d eam design. But there are cer- 
tain geometrical forms which are 
symbolic, and are looked upon as 
sacred. One of the most com- 
mon of these designs is that of a 
spider-web, which may be seen 
on the pouch shown on p. 25 
(Case 25c). This design is looked 
upon as too sacred to be used for 
mere decorative purposes. 
There is another type of de- 
sign midway between the sacred 
symbolic one and the merely 
decorative one, such as the design of the turtle upon the dresses 
of women. This is simply a U-shaped figure placed on the breast 
