Toki, Kawakawa, Nephrite adze
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Te Hikoi Museum
A stippled dark olive-green kawakawa pounamu toki (nephrite greenstone adze) of medium translucency. It has pyrite, tremolite xls, and rusty speck intrusions. It is finished, was made using the percussion method and has a chipped cutting edge. The Duff type has not been assessed. The source of stone for this toki is thought to be from South Westland. Kawakawa is a rich green form of nephrite greenstone, the most common found in Te Wai Pounamu, the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand; it is named for its association with the kawakawa leaf. This is one of over 350 toki (Māori adzes) in our collection. They range in size, stone type and source; covering all stages of manufacture from rough pre forms to ground, finished tools. Toki were bound to a kakau roa (wooden handle) and used for woodworking such as waka building, tree felling, hollowing out items, and squaring off planks. Whao (chisels) were used for finer work. These two links share more background and show how toki were made. 'A new edge to the environment', Te Papa, 2006 'Te Ara, Kōhatu, Māori use of stone, Making an adze'
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Details
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Title
Toki, Kawakawa, Nephrite adze
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Maker
Unknown Kaimahi toki (Adze maker)
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Date made
1250-1900
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Subject
Māori, Taoka/Taonga, Tools
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Additional information
inorganic, stone, pounamu (greenstone), nephrite, kawakawa, l 177 mm x w 54 mm x d 30 mm 476 g
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Rights
All rights reserved
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Location
170-172 Palmerston Street, Riverton, Southland
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Website
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Te Hikoi Museum
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Text adapted with permission from Te Papa and Digital NZ
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