New Acquisitions

Complete adze. Cross-section is lenticular. Surface of blade is mostly ground, with some flaking on front and back. Surface of butt is bruised, with some flaking at poll. Major differentiation between butt and blade, front and sides reduced, forming shoulder. Bevel is demarcated by lines that meet at the chin. Cutting is sharp, curved, and concave. Lightly chipped along cutting edge.

Complete adze. Greywacke. Dark grey. Cross-section is trapezoidal, with back narrower than front. Surface is mostly ground, some bruising on sides, and flaked at poll. Undifferentiated between butt and blade, sides taper towards poll. Corners of front and sides reduced so they are rounded. On proper right side of butt there is a possibly natural depression. Bevel is demarcated by a line, cutting edge is sharp and straight, large chip on proper right side.

Complete chisel. Pounamu. Cross-section is oval (almost circular). Surface is ground except at poll (possibly where broken). Undifferentiated between butt and blade. Bevel is demarcated by a line, cutting edge is sharp and very curved.

Complete adze Cross-section is trapezoidal, with back narrower than front. Surface of the blade is mostly ground and surface of the butt is bruised and flaked. Differentiation between the butt and blade. Sides are tapered toward the poll and slightly reduced to form shoulder. Bevel is demarcated by a ridge, with a indentation in the centre. Cutting edge is sharp and straight.

Unfinished needle, broken in two pieces. Distal end is sharp, slightly curved shaft. Thickness reduced at the proximal end.

Broken curved bone pendant, broken off at one end (suspension hole not present).

Three gods in one. The figure represents three gods in one: Ptah - the creator of the world; Socharis (or Seker) - the god of death or the under world; Osiris (or Asar) - the god through whom all people obtained life in the underworld. This wooden figure was originally gilded. The stand was hollowed out to contain a prayer written on a piece of papyrus. In a hole on the figure was placed a small portion of the deceased's body. So long as this body portion remained intact the body lying in the tomb would be assured of everlasting life. The figure was placed in the tomb with the coffin.

Magatama Bead

Complete bone pendant. Curved with broken suspension hole.

Broken adze, fragment remaining. The cross section is now asymmetrical but appears to originally have been rectangular. The finished surface is ground, the broken surface is hipped. The butt is absent. The bevel and cutting edge are absent.

Broken pounamu drill point, point remaining. The cross section is circular. The surface is ground with flaking originating from the break. There are sawing marks on the front. The back of the point is flattened, with no bevel. The point is chipped and blunt.

Complete harpoon head. The proximal end of the base is features a large notch. The lower side of the shaft is reduced where the shaft meets the head. There is one barb. There is a large perforation through the head. The tip is pointed. There are several visible repairs where previously broken. Bone is burned in some places.