Title
Ceremonial Adze, 1800s. Creator: Unknown.
Caption
Ceremonial Adze, 1800s. Before European contact, Polynesian carving tools were fashioned from bone, shell, stone, or teeth. The introduction of iron tools facilitated carving, while the demand of European sailors and missionaries for souvenirs provided a new market for craft products. Ceremonial adzes probably represented gods or spirits. The wooden handle of this example is carved with the characteristic K motif. The stone adze blade is lashed to the handle with finely plaited sennit fiber cord. According to legend, the distinctive pattern formed by the sennit lashing was taught to Mangaian craftsman by the gods.
Credit line
Photo12/Heritage Images/Heritage Art
Reference
HRM19F75_027
Model release
NA
Property release
NA
License type
Rights managed
Available size
68,1Mb (2,7Mb) / 13,7in x 19,4in / 4096 x 5808 (300dpi)