This is the first analysis of Maori carving styles by tribal area ever written. Simmons draws on the work of Kendall and an important new source to provide a coherent analysis of style and symbolism in Maori carving. The first part of the book discusses the mythological context and symbolism in Maori art, and the second is a painstaking analysis of the older serpentine and more recent square styles by tribes following the main lines of intertribal communication. Each section is illustrated by drawings and photographs of the best examples, some of which are only to be found in the museums of Europe and America. The resulting wealth of new information and the consequent new understanding of Maori carving make this an important book for ethnologists and museums the world over. It is also a taonga (treasure-house) for the Maori people, and an inspiration to the generations of young carvers coming on.