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on the half coconut shell, small plates, covered bowls', 
watch-shaped tobacco-boxes which are either round or 
octagonal, pillow-ends, sets of little boxes to contain 
the requisites for szVe/i-chewing, tops for clay water- 
gourds, flat, often leaf-shaped, ornaments for mats and 
hangings, bracelets, pendants, ear-studs, “fig-leaves” 
worn as “dresses” by little girls, and other small 
articles of personal adornment: 
As far as the shapes of the articles on which they 
are used admit, Malay patterns run in concentric 
bands. Foliate designs are common; representations of 
animals very rare. The names of patterns and of 
shapes are very generally those of leaves, flowers or 
fruits. -The lotus, which was, no doubt, introduced as 
a pattern owing to Hindu or Buddhistic influence in 
pre-Mohammedan times, is very commonly depicted in 
conventional forms, though variants of the lotus design 
are not always recognized as being such by the modern 
Malays. 
The majority of patterns on Malay silver are 
embossed in low relief, but other ornamentation is 
resorted to chiefly by the aid of punches. 
In addition to plain silver, two kinds of so-called 
niello-ware are found in the Peninsula. Of one kind 
the place of origin seems to have been Sumatra, though 
some specimens may have been made in Negri 
Sembilan. On viewing the outer surface of a piece of 
niello of this type, it will be seen that the patterns 
are in silver, the background being a rich black enamel. 
The basis of the pieces is silver, and the result was 
obtained by punching down, or even chiselling down, 
the ground, so as to leave the designs in slight relief, 
before filling in with the enamel substance. One 
presumes that the piece was then fired and any super- 
