New Acquisitions

Complete pounamu pendant. Light green inanga variety with low translucency. Adze-shaped. Surface is polished. Suspension hole drilled from both sides at the proximal end. Proximal edge is rounded and chipped. Distal end is sharp and straight, with a large chip off proper left side. Bevel is demarcated by a curved line.

Pounamu hei tiki. Dark green tangiwai/bowenite, Anita Bay source. Missing most of its right leg. Head is tilted towards its left side. Relatively small eyes with some red sealing wax in evidence. Large tongue protrudes from mouth. Left hand with three fingers rests on thigh while right arm is bent around towards left shoulder. Right hand with three fingers rests on chest. There is a single suspensory straight walled perforation hole at top of the head indicating possible use of mechanical drill.

Pounamu/Nephrite hei tiki. Broken at the left leg, with a replacement piece attached. Mid-green with white inclusions. Lower portion inanga with upper head showing some kahurangi. Head turned to right. Edges of initial scarf evident on rear perforation above right eye, primarily drilled from back but finished from front. Natural hair line crack on back near top of head. Peaked forehead with deep seated eyes. Pointed chin, nostrils, and forked tongue indicated. Arms rest on thighs, legs brought together.

Complete adze. Oval. The surface is ground. Minor differentiation between the butt and the blade, front and sides taper towards poll. Bevel is continuous with blade. Cutting edge is blunt and curved.

Complete adze. Stone. Black. Cross-section is rectangular. Surface of front and side blade, and bevel is ground with some flaking. Surface of butt and back blade is bruised. Major differentiation between butt and blade, front and sides reduced forming shoulder. Bevel is continuous with blade, cutting edge is sharp and straight, chipped. Moa Flat written on front.

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.

Complete wooden koauau. Round in cross section, polished patina from handling. Exterior surface carved with rauru (double spirals) and a human figure protruding off one side. Human figure has rauru on shoulders and thighs. Feet rest on a wheku style head. Light green glass or stone inlay in eyes, at base of foot, and between two of the finger holes. A rectangular-shaped indentation filled with red sealing wax indicates there may have been another inlay. Four fingers holes in total.

Complete one-piece fishhook. Intricately carved knob on head of shank, with a perforation through knob. Perforation through base. Length of fishing line remains lashed around shank.

Nephrite/pounamu hei tiki. Part inanga, part kawakawa varieties; mid- to dark green. Head turned to right. Crack runs diagonally through top of right eye and left eye lid has two drill point marks side by side. Another two drill points marked on rear adjacent to successful perforation. Nostrils indicated and diamond on bridge of nose. Hands rest on thigh, feet brought together. Rear has feather fracture running from right side of neck to middle back and further feather fractures on lower back through left thigh and leg. Highly polished both sides.

Mostly complete pounamu pendant, small piece broken off the distal end. Mid-green with black inclusions, high translucency. J-shaped, curved and rounded at the distal end. Proximal end has a suspension hole, mostly drilled from one side; edge is slightly squared off with a notch at the top.

Broken shell pendant, distal end not present. Tapering toward a knob at the proximal end.

Broken (part of the blade, bevel and cutting edge are present) oval. The surface is ground with some flakes/chips. The butt is missing. The bevel is curved and continuous with the blade. The cutting edge is curved, sharp and chipped.