A Maori Stone Club ‘Patu Onewa’

Smooth surface with patina, old minor damages from use
Basalt
Maori, New Zealand
19th Century

PROVENANCE:
Ex D. Barrett, 2012
Ex Private collection

SEE:
‘The Mark and Caroline Blackburn Collection’ 2010; pg. 348, ill. 488 - 491 and ‘The Maori Collections of the British Museum’ Dorota Czarkowska Starzecka, Roger Neich, Mick Prendergrast; plate, 123 ill. 754, 757 and 758

CF: A similar club in British Museum, Cook collection NZ80. Kaeppler 1978:191

Greywacke is a form of indurated sandstone and was used to make these hand clubs by careful grinding, abrading and polishing. The thrusting distal end was given a sharp edge, while the hole for the dog skin wrist cord presented a particular challenge as can be seen from the biconically stone drilled hole. In combat these weapons were unique in being designed for a forward thrust instead of a downward blow characteristic of other forms of hand clubs.