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Maka tau

human history
  • Other Name

    Throwing Stone (English)

  • Description

    Maka tau. Throwing stone. This maka tau is made from coral and would have been used in war as a throwing weapon. When used during combat, it would be thrown at the enemy from as far away a distance as four meters. This maka tau is ovoid or egg-shaped, fitting comfortably within the palm of the hand. It has ends that taper sharply to rounded points which are cone-shaped. It is light brown in colour but mottled with specks of white. Its surface is smooth, but slightly porous.

    There is a shallow gouge in the surface just below the handwritten inscription. Over time it has acquired a layer of brown dirt that has partially covered the original white surface of the coral. The maka tau was often used as a defending weapon in combat and if thrown correctly, could do real damage and even cause death.

  • Place
    [Niue]/Pacific
  • Accession Number
    1925.3
  • Accession Date
    1925
  • Other Id

    8215 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

Maka tau, 1925.3, 8215, Photographed by Richard Ng, digital,… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

  • Maka tau, 1925.3, 8215, Photographed by Richard Ng, digital, 08 Jan 2019, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Maka tau, 1925.3, 8215, Photographed by Richard Ng, digital, 08 Jan 2019, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Maka tau, 1925.3, 8215, Photographed by Richard Ng, digital, 08 Jan 2019, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Maka tau, 1925.3, 8215, Photographed by Richard Ng, digital, 08 Jan 2019, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • stone, throwing
  • throwing stone

Artefact

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