Planetarium Highlight:
Dinosaurs: A Story of Survival
He kura
Pounamu/nephrite pendant, broken at the proximal end. Light green, inanga variety, high translucency. Surface is ground and cross section is lenticular. Elongated with rounded distal end. Reduced at the proximal end by a notch.
Complete inanga pounamu/nephrite pendant. Arahura source. High translucency with feather flakes. Adze-shaped with oblong cutting edge, and a bevel on each side, both demarcated by lines. Eight small serrations along upper half of right hand side. Tapers toward the proximal end, with a suspension hole drilled from both sides.
Broken bone comb, head remaining. Previously broken in two pieces and glued back together. Proximal end is rounded. A bird's head figure with eye and beak indicated is carved on proper left side. Part of beak has broken off and a repair piece has been glued on. Distal end has vertical cut marks indicating ten or eleven broken teeth. Another horizontal cut mark runs just above the left side set of teeth on both the front and back.
Broken bone comb, head remaining. Proximal end is rounded and cracked, with straight sides. Very small perforation on one corner of the proximal end. Remains of nine or ten teeth evident, all broken at the proximal end. Surface is weathered.
Broken tattooing chisel, lower portion remaining, broken at upper end. Cutting edge is sharp and straight, very lightly chipped. There is a very small notch on either side of the lower portion. In the middle of the lower portion there is a long and narrow perforation with a longitudinal striation on either side.
Pounamu/nephrite pendant, probably unfinished. Shape resembles backwards "J" or a one-piece fishhook, possibly intended to be a hei matau. Light green, silver, and brown colour. Surface is ground smooth with some bruising and flaking on the edges. Suspension knob at the proximal end. Distal end has two notches.
Complete pounamu pendant. Mid-green and translucent. Surface is ground smooth on the front and bruised on the back. Bird head in profile at the proximal end, turned to the proper left side. Suspension hole (drilled mostly from the front) as eye and a well-defined beak with a knob on the upper beak. Two projections below the head representing legs with well-defined knees and a foot on the proper right side.
Complete pounamu pendant. Dark green kahurangi variety with white flaws and some feather flakes. Circular with a ground surface and edges. Suspension hole drilled from both sides at the proximal end.
Nephrite/pounamu hei tiki, kawakawa variety, dark green. Scarve cuts across top of head below top knot through which holes bored from both sides in top knot, chip on rear of head one side. Head turned to right with intricate facial features. Grooves along sides of torso. Perforations at arms and legs. Arms rest on thighs. Legs meet at the centre with three toes.
Pounamu/nephrite pendant. Dark green kawakawa variety with lighter green inclusions. Surface is ground. Broken at the suspension hole, which was drilled from both sides. Slightly curved to a point at the distal end.
Mostly complete burnt shark tooth pendant. One intact suspension hole and one broken suspension hole at root. Naturally-occurring serrations along each side of the tooth tip.
Complete bone pendant. Circular and rectangular paua inlays. Suspension hole and notch at proximal end. Slightly tapered to one side at the distal end.