Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-21
RarbnrIc Ornaments.

Savages are passionately fond of ornaments.
In some of the very lowest races, indeed, the
women are almost undecorated; but that is only
because the men keep all the ornaments them
selves As general rule we may say that the
southernerS ornament themselves, northerners
their clothes. In fact, all savage races who
leave much of their skin uncovered, delight in
painting themselves in the most brilliant colorS
they can obtain. Black, white, red aud yellow
are the iaYOrle, or rather, perhaps, the COM
monest colors. Although perfectly naked, the
Australians, of Botany Bay, were by no means
without ornaments. They painted themselves
with red ochrc, white clay, and charcoal; the
red was laid on in broad patches, the white gen
orally in stripes, or on the face in spots, often
with circle round each eve; through the sep
tum of the nose they wore bone as thick as a
mans finger and five or six inches long. This
was, Of course, very awkward, as it prevented
them from breathing freely through the nose;
but they submitted cheerfully to the inconven-
ence tor the sake Of appearance.
They had also necklaces made of shells, neat
ly cut and strung together; earrings, bracelets
of small cord and strings of plated human
hair which they wound found their waists.
Some also had gOrgets of large shells hanging
from the neck across the breast. On all these
things they placed high value. The savage al
so wears necklaces and rings, bracelets and
anklets, armletS and legets-even, if may say
so, bodylets, Round their bodies, round their
necks, round their arms and legs, their fingers
and even their toes, they wear ornaments of all
KINDS. From their number and weight these
sometimes must be very inconvenent, Lchens-
TEN saw the wife of Beltuan chief wearing no
less than seyenty-two brass rings Nor are they
particular as to the material; copper, brass or
iron, leather or ivory, stones, SHELLS, glass bits
OF wood, seeds or teeth-nothing comes amiss
In South East island, one of the LOuisiade
Archipelago, NJ Gillvray even saw several brace.
lets made each of a lower human jaw, crossed
by collar bone; and other travellers have
seen brass curtain rings, the brass plates for
keyholes, the lids of safdine cases, and other
such incongruous objects, worn with much
gravity and pride.
The Eel tab ladies in Central Africa spend
several hours day over their toilet. In fact
they begin over night by carefully wrapping
their fingers and toes in henna leaves, so that
by morning they are a beautiful purple. The
teeth are stained alternately blue, yellow and
purple, one here and there being left of its
natural color, as a contrast. About the ewes
they are very particular. They pencil them with
sulpheret OF anthony. The hair is colOred care
fully with indigo. Studs and other jewelrv are
worn III great prOfuson. Not content with
hanging things round their necks, arms, and, in
fact, wherever nature has enabled them to do so,
sayages also cut holes in themselves for tue pur-
pose. The Esquimaux, from Mackenzie river,
westward, make two openings in their cheeks
one on each side, which they gradually enlarge,
ana IN which they wear an ornament of stone
resembling in form large stud, and which NAV
therefore be called a check stud Throughout
great part of western America, and again in
Africa, we also lind the custom of wearing
plate OF wood through the central part of the
lower lip. A small hole is made 10 the lip dur
lng infancy, and it is then extended by degrees
until it is sometimes as much as two inches long
Some races extend the lobe Of the ear until it
reaches the shoulder; Others file the teeth in va
rlous manners. DR.. ]. b. Davis has Dyak
skull in which the six front teeth have each
been carefully pierced with a small hole, into
which pin with a spherical brass head had
been driven. In this way, the upper lip being
raised, the shining knob on each tooth would be
displayed Some OF the African tribes also chip
their teeth in various manners, each community
having a fashion of its own.-SF John Lu55ocks
"Origin Of Cioaizdtion"