. The history of mankind . e THE HISTORY OF MANKIND Upper Nile wear these sharpened to a knife-like edge. In peace they are coveredwith a leather sheath, in battle they serve as fighting-rings. Of a similar kindare the arm-rings of the neighbouring Jurs, fitted with a pair of spikes. Thesmart dagger attached to the upper arm or hung from the neck is half weapon, half ornament. But we mustreckon among genuinely de-corative weapons the beau-tifully-carved clubs of theMelanesians and negroes,the batons of command,the decorated paddles. Thesavage warrior can no moredo without ornament thanwithout
. The history of mankind . e THE HISTORY OF MANKIND Upper Nile wear these sharpened to a knife-like edge. In peace they are coveredwith a leather sheath, in battle they serve as fighting-rings. Of a similar kindare the arm-rings of the neighbouring Jurs, fitted with a pair of spikes. Thesmart dagger attached to the upper arm or hung from the neck is half weapon, half ornament. But we mustreckon among genuinely de-corative weapons the beau-tifully-carved clubs of theMelanesians and negroes,the batons of command,the decorated paddles. Thesavage warrior can no moredo without ornament thanwithout his weapon. Arewe to suppose that thisconnection has so deep apsychological basis in thestimulus to self-esteem andcourage given by externalsplendour, that it hasreached even to the heightsof our own military civiliza-tion ? Ornament and distinc-tion again go hand inhand, though for this brilliancy and costliness are not always necessary. In Eastand Central Africa the chiefs wear arm and leg-rings made from the hair of the. Les ornaments of dogs teeth, and shell armlet, from Hawaii.(Vienna Ethnographical Museum.)
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectethnology, bookyear18
