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Toki Kohatu HC85


A large stone adze with handle. Adze displays bruising on sides (quadrangular form Type 2.)

  • he taputapu tino nui mō ngā Māori o mua- a very important tool for early Māori
  • He pakohe (argillite) te kōhatu- the stone is argillite
  • I whakamahia mō te mahi rākau- used to work wood

The most important tools for the early Maori were adzes (toki). These stone adze heads were lashed to a wooden handle and used in working wood, including canoe building.
These early adzes had a well-defined butt/toe end that accomodate grip for lashing to a handle. The majority were made from basalt or other hard rock, such as adzite. This is a very tough, fine-grained metamorphic rock, also called baked argillite or greywacke, which is hard sandstone.

Pānuitia ētahi atu kōrero i konei / Read more information here : https://teara.govt.nz/en/kohatu-maori-use-of-stone/page-1

date: 1600

maximum dimension: 185mm, 100 grams

subject area: Maori and Pacifica, The Arts, Social Science, Technology

subject themes: New Zealand, Maori, Tools

handling collection number: HC85

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Handling information:
To Handle
Additional information:
Caution Required
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Object Categories

Eyes Only
Supervision Required
To Touch
To Handle
To Use & Handle

Resources Available
Caution Required
Safe Object