The Only Ornaments Of The
Women Are Earrings And Necklaces, Which They Arrange In Various
Tasteful Ways.
The ends of a necklace are often attached to the
earrings, and then looped on to the hair-knot behind.
This has
really an elegant appearance, the beads hanging gracefully on
each side of the head, and by establishing a connexion with the
earrings give an appearance of utility to those barbarous
ornaments. We recommend this style to the consideration of those
of the fair sex who still bore holes in their ears and hang rings
thereto. Another style of necklace among these Papuan belles is
to wear two, each hanging on one side of the neck and under the
opposite arm, so as to cross each other. This has a very pretty
appearance, in part due to the contrast of the white beads or
kangaroo teeth of which they are composed with the dark glossy
skin. The earrings themselves are formed of a bar of copper or
silver, twisted so that the ends cross. The men, as usual among
savages, adorn themselves more than the women. They wear
necklaces, earrings, and finger rings, and delight in a band of
plaited grass tight round the arm just below the shoulder, to
which they attach a bunch of hair or bright coloured feathers by
way of ornament. The teeth of small animals, either alone, or
alternately with black or white beads, form their necklaces, and
sometimes bracelets also. For these latter, however, they prefer
brass wire, or the black, horny, wing-spines of the cassowary,
which they consider a charm.
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