Collection Search

Complete head of whaling lance. Hollow base where shaft would be inserted, with a perforation on either side. The blade of the lance has a triangular cross-section and tapers to a point at the distal end.

Complete waka huia. Square in cross-section. Decorated on lid in carved groove and dot motif worked in three sections into complex patterns. The carving patterns differ on both long sides. The base has the groove and dot pattern in swirling pattern that forms two highly stylised faces with (not original) inlay paua shell eyes. The handles are elongated laterally and decorated with an abstract pattern. They are perforated vertically for suspension cord. On one end of the lid there is a centred, wide and flat tongue that has a matching slot. There is a small chip in the corner on this end of the lid. On the other end of the lid, the tongue is off-centre and narrower, with a matching slot. Modern fibre through handle perforations for suspension.

Complete bird spear point, manufactured from moa bone. There are notches on both side of the base, and barbs on both sides of the shaft towards the distal end.

Complete hinaki (eel trap), made from vine. Eel funnel at one end with plaited internal end. Elongated, bulbous body, tapered to another opening at the other end (without a lid or funnel). Plaited handle attached below the opening.

Complete matarau (eel spear). Wooden handle worked to a sharp point at both ends. Six other prongs lashed to one end of the handle with two metal braces and muka fibre.

Complete matarau (eel spear). Wooden handle worked to a sharp point at one end. Six other prongs lashed to the point of the handle with vines and muka fibre.

Model of a mokihi, created by binding bundles of bulrush with flax. The prow is double ended, with the top binding of bulrush ending approximately 19cm before the lower prow.

Complete pōhā used for preserving tītī, consisting of a kelp bag inside of a flax kete with a bark liner. Kete is made in an under-one, over-one pattern, and plaited around the top edge. Long strips of bark, probably totara, cover the kelp bag, and are lashed together with strips of flax, and tied together tightly at the top.

Complete silcrete flake. Flake scars on dorsal side. No cortex clear.

Proximal portion of silcrete flake. Retouching along lateral margins. Cortex is evident at the proximal end. Termination is flaked off.

Complete iron adze or axe head. Cross-section is rectangular. Cutting edge is sharp and curved. The sides reduce from the cutting edge to the poll end.

Complete bone one-piece fishhook. There is a notch at the base of the shank. There is an external knob on the head and an internal notch.

Complete one-piece bone fishhook. The bend has a notch. The tip is bent and comes to a sharp point. The head has a shank knob and a knob at the head, which is worn.

White oyster shell pendant with a suspension hole near the hinge end.

Hei tiki, broken at the distal end. Dark and mid green pounamu. Surface is ground smooth. Suspension hole drilled from both sides at the proximal end. Head is tilted to the proper left side with eyebrows, eyes, nose and open mouth indicated. Proper right hand rests on chest and proper left rests on thigh. Each hand has three fingers and a thumb. Arms are curved, creating perforations. Proper right leg curves under torso, creating another perforation. Proper left leg is broken off.

Juglet decorated with rows of cross-hatched triangles. White-Painted Ware. Middle Bronze Age. Approximately 2000-1600 BC