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THB18th C. Tahitian Pre-Contact Basalt Poi Pounder
Lot 124e
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,000 - $4,500
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Jun 29, 2023
Set Reminder
2023-06-29 10:00:00
2023-06-29 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic and Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-and-fine-art-13031
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (339)
- Lot Description
French Polynesia, Tahiti, Moorea Island, Pre-Contact Period, ca. 18th century CE. A fabulous and hefty pounder, hand-carved from red-gray basalt, meant to pulverize the roots of the taro plant into poi. The tool has a thick neck, a cuboid handle, and a hemispherical pounding face. The entire tool is incredibly smooth from repeated use, though some light roughness can be felt around the rim just above the pounding head. Finely crafted and sturdy in composition, this is an exquisite example from French Polynesia! Size: 4.75" W x 7.5" H (12.1 cm x 19 cm)
Poi pounders, alongside adzes, were the most important stone tools in Polynesia (Europeans introduced steel weapons). They are used for pounding cooked taro root into poi, a staple of the islander diet. Taro root was steamed in an earthen oven, peeled using shells, and placed onto a slab of wood to be pounded. The pounded results were blended with water into a highly nutritious paste. Traditional calabash bowls were used as containers to hold poi mixtures, and traveling royalty were accompanied by their own poi maker, with his or her own poi-making implements like this one.
Provenance: private Hawaii collection, acquired 2000 to 2010
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#177645Minor nicks, abrasions, and pitting, otherwise intact and excellent. Great surface texture throughout. Previous inventory label handwritten atop white-out on pounding surface.Condition
- Shipping Info
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