X 
ORNAMENTS FOR THE EARS AND LIPS 121 
that it shall be known that they are married. Women’s 
ear-rings are of great consequence, for no woman ven¬ 
tures to leave them off during the husband’s lifetime. 
Should she happen to take them off whilst doing her 
work, she would, on his approach, run into the hut and 
resume them, so that he should not see her without 
them. If the husband went away from home she 
would not venture to take the ear-rings off for fear 
other men should see her without them. 
A Stone Ball, weighing 2 lb. 14 oz., used by 
the Masai for enlarging the hole in the 
lobe of the ear. (British Museum.) 
Boys and girls insert blocks of wood into their ears ; 
warriors and old men wear chain ear-rings. No Masai 
elder may wear the ear-rings called ’surutya unless 
he has children who have been circumcised and become 
warriors. When the father dies the whole family mourns 
for him ; the widows lay aside their ear-rings, necklaces, 
and beads for a whole year. 
Thus it is clear that the ear ornaments are full of 
significance as representing the age and social state of 
men, boys and women among the Masai. It doubtless 
