Figure 227.—Feather decoration, Mitiaro gods (a, b: British Mus., L.M.S., 107; c-e: British Mus., L.M.S., 49). a, four pieces of braid (1-4) successively combined by fraying out lower ends and combining them as plies with others, forming branched figure combined into one braid (5); small bunch of black feathers (6) tied together at quill ends (7) added to upper braid ends by lashing (8); upper ends of braid (9) frayed out to form part of decoration; some branches without feathers but transverse turns of coir fiber remain around end of branches, showing feathers had been in position; feathers restored in figure. b, black feathers with quill ends doubled into loop (1), seized with single coir fiber, end passed around between two parts (2) and tied to protruding commencement end with reef knot. c, side view of top end of top pillar showing further shaping of lozenge-chevron motif (1) which forms a cleat. d, side view showing feather bunch (2) lashed to cleat (1) with turns around constricted neck of lozenge (3) and turns around chevron end (4). upper view of d, showing turns around lozenge neck (3) and figure-of-eight turns around arms of chevron (4), lashing material of single coir fiber (5) which passes on to be used on lower arches.