July, 1890. 
THE ORIGIN OF DECORATIVE ART. 
155 
when in the manufacture of coarse forms of pottery, the plaited 
or twisted bindings (used in order to keep together the moist 
clay shape before baking) leave behind them, in the baked 
vessel, an imprint of their outline The regularity of the 
markings suggests a simple pattern, which in many cases has 
been adopted as such and perpetuated and improved upon by 
other means, after the use of the bands has died out. Gourd 
bottles from the Sandwich Islands frequently have traced 
upon them a pattern which was originally intended to represent 
the string work (employed for carrying the vessel), in those 
examples in which the use of the strings were dispensed with. 
Another instance is seen in the modern registered envelope 
with the blue lines printed across it, representing the string 
binding which formerly was used to secure the letters. 
When one material is substituted for another, and the 
shape of some useful object becomes altered in consequence, 
very frequently the earlier form of the object is indicated by 
means of ornamental lines. Let me give an example. The 
Andamanese are in the habit of using the large Pinna shells 
as food dishes, each valve forming a plate or dish. These 
valves are pointed at one end and broad and rounded at the 
other. Wood has, however, been largely substituted for the 
shells for this purpose, and it has been found convenient to 
make both ends pointed, the points serving as convenient 
handles. Though the original shape is thus altered, in some 
examples of the double-pointed wooden platters a curved line 
is added in wax at one end, in this way indicating the 
rounded end of the natural shell. This form of perpetuation 
of a former idea under altered circumstances is liighlv charac- 
teristic of the savage ; many instances too, of a like nature 
occur to one from our own civilised surroundings. 
After the use of an object has died out it is often retained 
as ornament from force of habit. The buttons at the back of 
a man’s coat in the present day are an instance in point. 
These no longer serve a useful purpose, but formerly they 
were used to fasten back the flaps of the coat, especially in 
riding. Something would seem to be wanting if they were 
done away with ; the eye has been accustomed to seeing them 
there, and their absence would give an unfinished appear¬ 
ance ; hence their retention. I have pointed out how designs 
drawn upon flat surfaces tend to degenerate into meaningless 
patterns in the course of successive copyings, either by 
conscious or unconscious variation from the original type. 
The value of serial arrangements in museums is especially 
made manifest by series which illustrate the succession 
of changes in patterns, thus tracing the history of particular 
designs. 
