Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/400

 366 Sonic Etknological Suggestio7is

do they bear resemblance to Polynesian representation of the human form whether realistic or conventional (Figs. 2 and 3). In order to find possible affinities, we must, I think, seek them outside the Polynesian area. Certain well-marked and prevalent peculiarities may be noted as characteristic of these remarkable statues (Figs. 2 and 3) : (i) the prominent, overhanging brow ; (2) the absence of any indication of the eyes, which are sufficiently suggested by the hard, dark shadows cast by the overhanging brow- ridges ; (3) the very long, concave nose (differing markedly from the arched noses of the wooden figures) ; (4) the pro- truding or " pouting " lips ; (5) the prominent, pointed chin ; (6) the greatly distended ear-lobes (Fig. 3a) ; and, lastly, (7) the cylindrical so-called "hats" or "crowns" of red volcanic tufa, which originally surmounted the heads of many of the statues.

Now, there is only one region in the Pacific in which I have been able to find representations of human form in which the above-mentioned characteristics appear associated together in such a manner as to suggest an affinity with the Easter Island statues, and this is the Solomon Island group in the Melanesian area.

Some years ago I made a study of the so-called " canoe- prow gods " and other representations of human form from New Georgia, San Cristoval and other parts of the Solomon Islands ^ (Figs. 4 and 5). My then object was to account, if possible, for the very excessive prognathism which is so pronounced a conventional feature of these figures. The slight prognathic tendency of the native type is not sufficient to explain this grotesque exaggeration. I dis- covered an apparent solution in the influence of another totally distinct design, that of the Frigate-bird, the explana- tion being that the conventional result was arrived at by hybridization of two designs. The human form and the frigate-bird are very constantly associated together in close

"^ Man, June, 1905, No. 50, and pi. F.