19th Century Carved Taiaha with Paua Eyes and Kuri Fur
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A rare and important 19th century taiaha (fighting staff), Arero (tongue) finely carved with rauponga spirals and deeply recessed pataki terminating at a pointed tip. Upoko (head) displays elliptical paua eyes with incised stria radiating from centre. Woven muka collar adorned with darkened kuri dog fur. Small chip to tongue surface, later suspension hole. Long slender tapering shaft with rounded end. Provenance: Dame Jenny Gibbs collection, 186 cm length.
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- Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.
This item has been included into following indexes:
- Maori artefacts