Club
Production date
Unknown
Country
Papua New Guinea
State/Province
East New Britain
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Object detail
Description
The club consists of a thickened rod tapering to a tip at the lower end and with a bored out stone head inverted on top of it. The stone head is firmly fixed to the shaft with small wooden wedges firmly pushed in and the site of attachment reinforced with the crushed pulp of parinaria nut. Decoration consists of Nassa shells pressed into the cement as ornaments.
Classification
INDIGENOUS CULTURES Melanesian & South Sea Islander club
Maker
Production date
Unknown
Production place
Measurements
L1253 x W76 mm
Media/Materials description
Wood, stone and nassa shells embedded within the head and cemented with a paste of crushed parinaria nut.
History and use
Used for close-quarter fighting, this war club (known as palau to the people of the Gazelle Peninsula), common to most parts of New Britain, was originally imported from the Baining. Its manufacture became known through Baining taken as slaves.
Registration number
E6741
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