Club (apa'apai)
Production date
Pre 1790
Country
Australia
State/Province
Queensland
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Object detail
Description
Club, classic 'coconut-stalk' type (apa'apai). Features a diamond-shape blade and round-shaped shaft, and the overall shape represents the coconut leaf stalk. The handle shows signs of use, and a butt lug is cut in the centre of the shaft base. The club is fashioned in one piece from the shaft, and there are six raised carved parallel bands in groups of 6, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 from the head to the shaft. The parallel bands are interspersed with panels of finely carved, zigzag, and herring-bone motifs, which continue down the shaft to the slightly flared butt. Decorated with incised patterns and schematized human and animal figures.
Classification
INDIGENOUS CULTURES Polynesian
ARCHAEOLOGY Maritime Archaeology
ARCHAEOLOGY Maritime Archaeology
Maker
Production date
Pre 1790
Production place
Measurements
Dimensions: L 1000 x W 106 x H 42 mm
Weight: 967 g
Weight: 967 g
Media/Materials description
Wood (Casuarina equisitifolia)
History and use
This club was recovered from HMS Pandora, a naval vessel sent from England in 1790 in pursuit of the HMS Bounty and its mutineers. Following navigation in the South Pacific, Pandora wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef in 1791 on its return voyage.
The Pandora shipwreck was discovered in 1977, and Queensland Museum conducted archaeological expeditions between 1983 and 1999 recovering many artefacts.
The club was collected by Pandora's officers and crew, among over 500 other cultural artefacts and natural history specimens.
The Pandora shipwreck was discovered in 1977, and Queensland Museum conducted archaeological expeditions between 1983 and 1999 recovering many artefacts.
The club was collected by Pandora's officers and crew, among over 500 other cultural artefacts and natural history specimens.
Registration number
MA4810
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