Description:

French Polynesia, Tahiti, Society Islands, ca. 17th to 19th century CE. A fabulous and hefty pounder, hand-carved from pale-gray basalt, meant to pulverize the roots of the taro plant into poi. The tool has a thick neck, a T-shaped 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! Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 4.125" L x 3.375" W x 5.75" H (10.5 cm x 8.6 cm x 14.6 cm); 7.375" H (18.7 cm) on included custom stand.

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.

A similar example of a different color hammered for 25,000 Euro ($29,890) at Christie's, Paris (sale 1010, June 14, 2011, lot 90).

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#161996

  • Condition: Chips to periphery of pounding head and handle. Expected abrasions, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, excellent.

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October 9, 2022 10:00 AM MDT
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