New Acquisitions

A model of a hoe (waka paddle). Dark brown wood. Handle is worked smooth with a knob on the butt and an oval cross-section. Blade of the paddle is diamond-shaped with a half-circular cross-section. Blade is carved with a rauponga (ridges and notches) pattern on one side and a koru pattern on the other side.

Broken straight fishhook point, mid and base remaining. Notches at external base.

Broken fishhook point, mid-point to base remaining. Straight with notches at base.

Broken fishhook point, tip not present. Straight with notches at base.

Broken silcrete blade, proximal portion remaining. Dark grey and light grey in colour. Weathering on ventral surface. Retouch on upper left lateral margin on ventral surface, and bilaterally on dorsal surface.

Complete taiaha. Wooden surface is smooth and polished. Double-sided human face carved at the proximal end. Face has a protruding tongue, geometric shapes on lips and forehead, slanted eyes. Distal end of the blade is rounded.

Complete kahu huruhuru with kiwi and pheasant feathers. The top edge is a two ply twist, except one at each of the ends, where the warps become part of the fringe. There are two attachments for tying - 1 is a piece of bias binding, the other a tassel in red, black and cream wool. The cloak is of cotton, with two-ply interlocking weft. Along the left and right edges there is a twist of blue, red, black and white wool. The centre of the cloak is kiwi feathers with pheasant feathers as a 6-8cm wide border on the left, right and bottom edges. The border is in square blocks of colours; down the sides there are alternating squares of black then brown. Along the bottom there are alternating squares of black, brown, and white feathers.

Complete Trapezoidal with back narrower than front. Front of blade is ground faint white scratch marks. Back of blade is also ground. There is also a indented ridge structure to the right portion of blade. No differentiation between butt and blade. Poll portion is not fully present. Bevel is demarcated with a ridge. Cutting edge is curved and sharp.

Complete adze. Pounamu. Rectangular cross-section. The surface is mostly ground on the blade with flake scars and bruising on the blade and poll. There is no distinction between the butt and the blade. The sides of the blade taper in towards the poll. The bevel is smooth and made distinct from the blade by a curved line. The cutting edge is straight and sharp.

Complete adze. Stone. Grey. Cross-section of blade is rectangular, cross-section of butt is oval. Surface is bruised, with some ground areas. Minor differentiation between butt and blade, proper right side slightly reduced, sides taper towards poll. Bevel is continuous with blade, cutting edge is sharp and curved. Otago Central written on front.

Complete adze. Light grey stone. Surface is ground. Cross-section is trapezoidal, with back narrower than front. Back and sides of the butt are slightly reduced. Bevel is continuous with the blade. Cutting edge is slightly oblique and blunt.

Complete unfinished adze. Green stone. Oval cross-section. The surface is flaked on both sides of the upper blade and bruised and ground on the lower blade. There is a slight reduction in the stone on the sides of the butt. The bevel is smooth and continuous with the blade. The bevel is convex. The cutting edge is curved and chipped.