Te Kohinga Taoka Māori

Collection Record

Putatara, Trumpet

Complete putatara, with conch shell body and wooden mouthpiece intact. The wooden mouthpiece is carved, two ridges down either side, with curved ridges linking them around the front, creating a mouthpiece that looks phallic in shape. There are two circular paua inlay on the front and back. One inlay appears to be adhered with red wax. The mouthpiece is attached to the shell with fibre and wax. There is a perforation through the outer lip of the aperture that has a length of fibre twine through it. On the outer whorl of the body there is a large repair. An oval piece of wood has been fixed to a hole in the wood with four lengths of fibre twine that has been waxed to fill in any gaps. At the distal end of the aperture there is a perforation.

Provenance Place:
Unlocalised, New Zealand

O50.008

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