Te unika

Te unika. Shell chisel. This is a chisel tool made from te ang (cassus cornuta; helmet shell). It is a component of a tool. It has been cut and filed into a curved teardrop form. It tapers inwards towards the top and nicked to show where it would be positioned on the end of a handle. The wider part has been bevelled to show where it would make contact when in use. There is a furrowed depression that runs horizontally along the unika. Small nicks can be seen along the edge of the bevelled section. Its surface texture is smooth and off-white in colour with varied grey tones.