Geographical Notes
1883; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 28; Issue: 723 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1038/028446b0
ISSN1476-4687
Tópico(s)Global Maritime and Colonial Histories
ResumoIN the interests of anthropology, Dr. A. B. Meyer, curator of the Dresden Ethnological Museum, has just issued some practical suggestions addressed to the officers of the German Imperial Navy visiting the Indo-Pacific waters. The chief object of this “Denkschrift” is the completion of the Dresden ethnographic collection, whose desiderata are mentioned in detail, and special instructions are given as regards the Chinese seaboard, the South Sea Islands, the north-west coast of America, Madagascar, the Eastern Archipelago, and in general such places as lie on the ordinary route of the German Navy. Here is still to be gathered a rich harvest of materials illustrating the usages, traditions, religions, and social culture, especially of the Polynesian, Papuan, Indo-Chinese, Malay, and North American races. Many objects may thus be brought together calculated to throw light on such important historic and religious movements as the spread of Buddhism from India throughout East Asia, and the influence of Hinduism in past times on the local cultures in Further India and Malaysia. Amongst the miscellaneous wants particular mention is made of fishing gear, boat models, and musical instrments from Formosa; blowpipes, krisses, shields, and brass armour from the Sulu Archipelago and Palawan; nets, harpoons, magic wands from Corea and Yesso: wood carvings and idols from New Guinea and New Britain; clubs, spears, stone hatchets, tattoo designs, figures of men and animals in wood or stone from Melanesia; objects of fetish worship from Micronesia; jade ornaments from Polynesia; carved wooden marks of men and animals, clay or stone vessels, tobacco pipes and nephrite objects from the north-west coast of America; talismans, idols, house utensils, and weapons from Madagascar; wicker-work, burnt clay figures of evil spirits, woven materials from Ceylon; specimens of figure or picture writings on palm leaves from the Nicobar Islands. Some of these hints may be found useful by English travellers and others willing to promot anthropological work in the Indo-Pacific regions.
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