New Acquisitions

Complete straight fishhook point. Barbed with notch at barb. Knob and notch at base.

Complete tatā (canoe bailer) made of a split whalebone. Large bulbous end made from the epiphysis of the bone, tapering to a straight, open pouring edge. Exterior side of the epiphysis has a mouth and protruding tongue carving and decorative geometric patterns. Handle curved over the top, with a human face (spiral eyes, nose, lips and tongue) indicated at the end. Surface has been polished on one side, and is burnt on the epiphysis and on the handle. Holes at the epiphysis. Has previously been broken and repaired at the pouring edge. Identified as a fake, not of authentic Māori origin.

Complete hue (gourd container or calabash) with bulbous base and relatively small, narrow neck. Single, square perforation at base of neck and remnant of vine stem at the top. Fibre cord twisted and knotted around gourd (dividing body into 8 areas) with the three individual cords held together above the neck. Rattles.

Complete needle. Distal end is sharp. There is a drilled, circular eye at the proximal end. Small fragment missing from proximal end.

Complete adze. Cross-section is rectangular, with rounded corners. Surface of lower blade and bevel is ground. Flaked on all other surfaces. Undifferentiated between butt and blade. Front slopes slightly towards poll, and large chip on back of poll. Bevel is demarcated by a line, and where surface changes from flaked to ground. Cutting edge is sharp and straight.

Complete adze. Argillite. Black, mid grey. Cross-section is oval. Surface of blade and back are ground, surface on front and sides of butt is ground. Major differentiation between butt and blade, sides reduced before flaring at poll. Bevel is continuous with blade, cutting edge is sharp and curved, some chipping along cutting edge.

Broken adze (blade remaining). Cross-section is rectangular. PR side has a small area that is naturally rough. Middle of the back of blade has a line which has been carved in. No differentiation between butt and blade. Bevel is demarcated by a line, blade is sharp and curved.

Silcrete tool. Dark grey and light brown in colour. Unifacial retouch on dorsal surface, creating a rounded serrated edge.

Broken silcrete blade that has the proximal portion present. It is dark grey and mid grey in colour. There is some flaking on the proximal end. There is unifacial retouching on the proper right lateral margin on the ventral surface.