ABSTRACT
THE artifacts of a culture pose a real problem to the ethnographer: How is he to bring them into his description? Undeniably they are an important aspect of culture and form integral parts of the most esoteric nonmaterial behavior. But to describe them with anything like the necessary detail would result in an unreadable catalogue. I first went to the Dani with high hopes of being able to solve the problem, but it proved more intractable than I had imagined. In short, the problem has not been solved, but in this chapter, we examine five realms of artifacts-attire, construction, tools, weapons, and sacred objects-whose analysis yields particularly relevant information about the nonmaterial aspects of Dani culture. (Cf. also Heider 1969a.)
A T T I R E
The objects of Dani attire may be discussed in terms of their function and in terms of the circumstances of situation and status.
