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Pū

human history
  • Other Name

    Conch shell (English)

  • Description

    Pū. Conch shell. This is a large cassis shell. Its curved upper body features several protruding points that follow through to its tapered end in varying heights. The widest part features five large points in different heights that surround the apical. As its body tapers off, a series of six smaller points feature further down. The apical has been cut off to feature a mouth hole. Its exterior is ivory white and the surface is rough in texture.

    Brown and white block colours above a lip border the base. Its base is wide in aperture, where one would place their hand when blowing through the mouth hole to form a loud horn-like sound. Inside the base is orange in colour. This implement would be used as a form of communication.

  • Place
    Hawaii/United States of America
  • Accession Number
    1985.173
  • Accession Date
    07 Jun 1985
  • Other Id

    51826 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

shell, 1985.173, 51826, Photographed by Denise Baynham,… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

  • shell, 1985.173, 51826, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 02 Mar 2018, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • shell, 1985.173, 51826, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • shell, 1985.173, 51826, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • shell, 1985.173, 51826, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • shell, 1985.173, 51826, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • shell, 1985.173, 51826, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • shell, 1985.173, 51826, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, © Auckland Museum CC BY

Artefact

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