OTAGO INSTITUTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19616, 21 October 1925, Page 4

OTAGO INSTITUTE.

ARCH/EOLOGICAL SECTION. The Archaeological Section of the Otago Institute met last evening, the lecturer being Hr H. Uonn, who took as his subject "Asiatic Influences on Maori Art.” The lecturer said that some years ago, whilst making a study of Celtic art he was forwarded several specimens of Maori work, and was immediately struck by several points 01 resemblance between the two. He went on to say that Maori art was comparatively now, little being known of it prior to 200 years ago, nevertheless it was possible by searching in the wide held of Maori migration to make an attempt at tracing its origin. There was not much literature that could be consulted regarding the subject, and the books devoted to it which had been published. simply' supplied a groundwork for further research by students. In ancient Celtic woik it was possible to trace the direct influence of Scythian art, particularly m the matter of scroll work and distorted animals. The eye and beak decoration, and ibal of tin; spiral were frequently found in archaeological remains found in Ireland, Scotland, and the North of England. Although traces of the bird and beak, and the scroll decorations were frequently found in Maori carvings, it was unusual for the figures of animals, so common in early Asiatic and European art, to figure in these carvings. It was almost certain, however, that the spiral work to bo found in early European and Celtic drawings and carvings hud the foundation for the so-called “frigatebird” spiral so popular with the Pacific natives. This form of art was also common in fla-va. and Borneo. Again, China showed It aces of being influenced by this form of design, but it was unlikely that ary such design came to the Pacific from that quarter. There were, however, strong indications that Ihe Maori in his artistic work thought on very much the same lines as the eariy Celt. Early art tended towards the carving and the drawing of the human figure, animals, and birds, and these in the course of time had Siowly developed into interlacing spirals purely and simply. Whether Maori art owed it a origin to one centre or whether several countries were responsible for its fundamentals was a question which called for wide research, and Mr Dorm stressed the necessity tor closer study cf the subject. At the conclusion of the lecture, which was illustrated by numerous lantern slides, the chairman (Dr Dickie) introduced Dr SmithWhistler, Professor of Comparative Anthropology at the University of Yale, who, after expressing his appreciation of Mr Bonn’s address, spoke briefly on the importance of tracing the origin of things to their fundamentals