At the end nearest the stepped insert, there are three transverse bands painted around the cylindrical body of the ulu tao. After these bands there are a group of four mea (barbs), followed by six consecutive pairs of mea (barbs) carved out at equal intervals along the length, which tapers gradually to a pointed tip at the end. The pairs alternate by an angle of 90 degrees so that the mea are positioned all around the circumference of the ulu tao. They also decrease in size as they near the pointed tip. Some of the tips of the barbs have been broken off, exposing the light coloured wood beneath the paint. The stepped insert is also chipped and cracked. The method of fashioning an ulu tao that would be inserted into the haft of a spear meant that when thrown at an opponent, it would detach easily from the haft and the barbed section would remain embedded in the skin.