The Small Island of Vao
Stone Men of Malekula The Small Island of Vao
Chatto & Windus, 1942.
First edition. Large 8vo. Publisher's red cloth, navy title label to spine lettered gilt, in the buff printed dustwrapper. Top edge navy blue. Two fold-out plates, one a map of Pete-hul village, the other a table of ranks by island, twenty-four further black and white plates, with numerous figures, tables, and maps throughout. A very good copy, some wear to the upper hinge, in a very good dustwrapper, some short tears to edges, with tanning to spine.
Layard's exhaustive study of the people, rituals and society of Malekula, the second largest island in the archipelago of Vanuatu, a South Sea nation between Fiji and the Solomons. It covers the complex class system of the island, and the rituals that govern cannibalism, human sacrifice and warfare.
Stock ID: 42358
