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Ipu kukui

human history
  • Other Name

    Pohokukui (Hawaiian)

    Stone lamp (English)

  • Description

    Ipu Kukui. Stone lamp. This is a spherical mortar of pōhaku used as a lamp. It is grey in colour with darker variations around the cupped rim. The cupped depression is centred on the surface where ni'au (coconut frond midrib) would stand, skewered with kukui nuts (candle nuts). This would be lit from the top. The oil from the kukui kernels would cause them to burn for several minutes.

    Additionally, there is residue of faded white fibres which shows the use of a kapa (bark cloth) wick for burning. Its dark staining shows the results of burning and/or holding dye.

  • Place
    Hawaii/United States of America
  • Accession Date
    1894
  • Other Id

    11381 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

lamp, 11381, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

  • lamp, 11381, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • lamp, 11381, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • lamp, 11381, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • lamp, 11381, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • lamp, 11381, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • lamp, 11381, Photographed by Denise Baynham, digital, 27 Mar 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • stone lamp

Artefact

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