Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/391

Rh mataa, or implements of obsidian, (2) the carved wooden figures representing the human form, (3) the huge monolithic statues, (4) certain rock-sculptures in relief, engravings and paintings representing birds and bird-headed human figures, (5) the very remarkable ideographic script, (6) the elaborate bird-cult. These I will deal with briefly seriatim.

I. The mataa, or obsidian implements, which have been found in great abundance over the island. These are for the most part roughly made from flakes (often very large and thick) struck from the blocks of volcanic glass. In the more characteristic examples, the butts are more or less carefully trimmed down by flaking so as to form peduncles or tangs for hafting on the ends of wooden handles. The broad blade is usually left unaltered, and as the shape depends upon that assumed by the flake when struck off the block, many of the implements are very irregular and unsymmetrical in outline. Some examples show a slight trimming of the edges to improve the form of the blade, but these are exceptional. The more typical and perfect specimens in their outline resemble the "ace of spades" (Fig. I).

Now this implement is not only characteristic of but almost peculiar to Easter Island, and parallels to it are by no means easy to find. An interesting analogy is seen in a fine obsidian blade with hafting tang which was found below the surface of the ground in a creek draining into the Yodda Valley in the Northern Division of British New Guinea. It is in the possession of Mr. D. Ballantine. This specimen has been described and figured by Dr. C. G. Seligmann, who draws attention to the striking resemblance to the mataa of Easter Island. It is, however, of better workmanship than the latter, the tanged butt is more carefully flaked to the desired form; also the shoulders are steeply and symmetrically sloped in a manner which is