Aruhe Fernroot Pounder from Aotearoa
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A patu aruhe, Aotearoa, patu aruhe (fernroot beater). Pounders in wood were used to process the aruhe (roots) of the Rauaruhe (bracken fern). The process included soaking in water then roasting, steaming or boiling the roots before finally pounding them to separate the hard fibres from the edible flesh. This heavy example is of fine form with well-formed handle, adzed body and a warm, varied patina indicative of use., made from a dense brown wood. This pounder is used for beating rauaruhe fern down to extract the edible flesh from the fibres. This patu has a circular cross section that tapers up to the butt of the handle. Length 30.5 cm, depth 8.5 cm, on stand height 27.5 cm. Registered as patu aruhe. Provenance: Private Collection, Aotearoa
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- Patination / Patina - In broad terms, patination refers to the exterior surface appearance of the timber, the effect of fading caused by exposure to sunlight and air over the course of a century or more, changing the piece to a soft, mellow colour.
As patina is very difficult to replicate, it is one of the most important guides to determining the age of furniture.
Patina is also the term applied to the bloom or film found on old bronzes due to oxidisation.
This item has been included into following indexes:
- Maori artefacts