This book showcases over 250 of the most beautiful examples of traditional jewelry from the Pacific. Myriad designs and materials, including jade, whale teeth and bone, shark teeth, tapa, shells and plant fibers, are woven together in a skillful combination of color and craftsmanship.<BR>Apart from their beauty, these personal items can also convey information about power, status and community. Their significance, the ceremonies in which they are worn and the messages they convey are explored in an introductory essay.<BR>Drawing on the extensive collections of the Auckland Museum, the jewelry represents a vast geographical area, including Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, Niue, the Marquesas, the Cook Islands and New Zealand. The variety of styles and materials reflect the lifestyles, preoccupations and imperatives of a people surrounded by the biggest ocean on the planet.