New Acquisitions

Dagger with the inscription lā fatā illā ʿAlī lā sayf illā Dhū’l-Faqār - "there is no Hero but Ali, and there is no sword but the Zulfiqar"

Complete adze. The cross-section is rectangular. The surface of the front is ground with some flaking and the surface of the back is bruised with flaking, although the bevel is ground. There is no differentiation between the blade and the butt. The bevel is continuous with blade. The cutting edge is sharp and curved with minor flaking.

Complete rough out. The cross-section is triangular with the apex to the front. The surface is flaked. There is no differentiation between the butt and the blade. The bevel is demarcated by an indent at the chin. The cutting edge is curved and blunt.

Broken adze with the blade remaining. Rectangular. The surface is mostly bruised but the front is ground with some flaking. The back has some ground areas. The butt is not present. The bevel is demarcated but a slight line at the chin. The cutting edge is moderately sharp and slightly curved; the proper right side is more predominantly curved upwards.

Complete bone pendant. Knob at one end and curved to a point at other end. Serrations along both sides.

Complete mere pounamu. Dark green and silver takiwai variety with high translucency and chatoyant bands. Spatulate in shape. Distal edge of blade is straight and sharp with rounded side edges. Bilateral reduction where the blade meets the handle, flaring out again at the proximal end. Four ornamental grooves on both sides of butt with perforation in the centre, which interrupts the grooves. Perforation hole is straight sided and threaded with a leather thong.

Incomplete adze. Blade remaining. Trapezoidal with back narrower than front. Surface is bruised. Butt not present. Bevel is continuous with the blade. The cutting edge is sharp, straight and uneven.

A complete skeleton of a salamander mounted onto a wooden base. The head and body are in a straight line and facing forwards. Wire holds both legs and head together. The skeleton is attached to the base with a metal rod halfway down vertebrae.