Barava with figures and chiefly wealth rings in the form of a thick flat ring
with open-work composition consisting of four currency rings and eight human
figures.  the barava are sacred items associated with important
chiefs.  They have been used for canoe ornamentatin but more likely as
embellishments to skull houses or broken over chiefly graves.  Manufacture
is extremely difficult.  These very old hard clam shells were often dug up,
selected for carving, and finely carved using drilling techniques and fine
abrasives and tools including bamboo, water and sand.  Grinding and
polishing was done with stones, shell pieces, leaves, and shark skin.  It
is quite remarkable to find one as complete and well executed as this speciomen
which was collected by an administrator official working in the solomon Islands
in the early 1900’s.  Fine quality.