ROCK PAINTINGS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2943, 1 December 1916, Page 8

ROCK PAINTINGS

NEW ZEALAND'S EARLY ARTISTS.New Zealand's rock paintings have not attracted much attention outside a limited circle of scientilic people, but accounts of them have travelled beyond the borders of, the Dominion. AJr. J. 11. Elinors, who came from South Africa recently for the purpose of examining the rock paintings in this country, lias now completed Ins investigation, and he states lie is not sorry ho made the journey. The drawings he has examined at various points in tho South Island aro of considerable interest to a specialist, though most of them are very crude in comparison with the rook paintings that are found in many parts of Africa. The best specimen examined by Mr. Elmore is in a cave near Pleasant Point, in South Canterbury. _ ' Rock paintings are tho most primitive form of art, and they aro found in almost every part of tbe world where native tribes have been resident. Somo of them aro mere scrawls, in charcoal or pigment, on the walls' of caves or sheltered faces of cliffs. Others of advanced types are quite elaborate pictures, tho native' artists having used several colours and shown considerable artistic skill. Tho paintings are often of largo size. Tho Pleasant Point painting, for example, is seventy-five feet long. A lino about two inches broad has been drawn on the side of tho cave, aud figures have been placed on this line, all in black pigmont. Olio portion of the drawing represents in a crude way tho dancing of a haka by_ Natives. Somo critics have expressed doubt as _to the authenticity of tho rock paintings in New Zealand. There was considerable controversy somo years ago concerning some drawings on rocks in the '\Yeka. Pass, North Canterbury, it being asserted by sceptical peoplo that tho Maoris had nothing to do with the "pictures" at all. ""The drawings, it was stated, had been mado in an idle hour by passing drovers. Si nco then'they have nearly disappeared under tho influence- of weather. Mr. Elmore, speaking generally of the rock paintings lie has inspected in this country, says ho does not doubt they are tho work of Natives,' though ho would liesitato to assign them a date. ,Most of them aro much .inferior to tho spirited rock paintings of the pygmy tribc3 I of Africa.