CIVILISATION IN PACIFIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18519, 2 October 1923, Page 8

CIVILISATION IN PACIFIC.

'FROM EGYPT TO PERU.

NEW CRAFTS FOR OLD ARTS.

The theory that Egypt was the home of culture, whence a movement in civilisation had spread across the Pacific t<| America, was discussed last evening by Dr. P. H., Buck, in a short extempore lecture, at the Auckland Museum. It was intended that Mr. J. H. Hudson should have / lectured /•■ before the anthropological and Maori race sect ; of the Auckland Institute on "Migrant Maori Plant Names," but owing to ill-, ness ho was not able to attend, and to save disappointment Dr. Buck stepped into the breach. ' Dr. Buck said that a book was published entitled.! "Children of the Sun," in which, the author, Mr. W. J. Perry, of* the London University) went into detail in regard to the theory expounded by Professor Elliott Smith of diffusion of culture. Under that theory it was held that trending ever eastward the civilisation of ancient Egypt had passed to Babylon, and thence, by way of the land of the Malays, to. , some /of the. Pacific Islands, finding finally a place in Central America and Peru. ; .

The fact that the making of pottery and weaving were not practised in the islands concerned had been raised, the enquirers asking why, if the theory had some substantial these two. arts, known to the Egyptians, were not' in evidence in the islands. By some the answer given was that this indicated degradation of culture on the part of the natives. ■•'',,*, ' .To,.that/ reply Dr. Buck entered a strong protest. He would, he said, rather apply the term . "deliberate abandonment,", for the falling into disuse of. weaving and crockery indicated that the natives concerned had found other things to satisfy their needs. They could use coconut shells and calabashes for utensils, and it , was. generally known that they had acquired a great, skill in beating out such cloth as they wanted /from the bark of trees, and then decorating -it.' They had no need for a cumbersome weaving loom; indeed, thanks to the hot, climate they had need for but little clothing. Also, there .was the fact that on coral islands the dearth of clay operated against the making of crockery. ';_ )■ .