Hand Club
18112
From: New Zealand | North Island | Waikato Region | Near Lake Taupo
Curatorial Section: Oceanian
| Native Name | Patu Onewa |
| Object Number | 18112 |
| Current Location | Collections Storage |
| Culture | Maori |
| Provenience | New Zealand | North Island | Waikato Region | Near Lake Taupo |
| Period | Te Huringa I Period |
| Date Made | 1800 - 1900 CE |
| Section | Oceanian |
| Materials | Sandstone | New Zealand Flax |
| Description | A patu onewa (stone hand club) is a one-handed weapon with a flat blade and a sharp striking edge. Patu were used in hand-to-hand combat, generally to strike an enemy on the head. Made from graywacke (a type of sandstone), tear-shaped, with a hole for a wrist cord (tau) at the narrow end. The wrist cord, which is made of plaited harakeke (New Zealand flax), is broken but present. There is a groove around one end above a hole, which is drilled conically from both sides. According to notes made by the collector C.D. Voy this hand club was formerly owned by a Māori chief near Lake Taupo. |
| Length | 29.7 cm |
| Width | 7.4 cm |
| Credit Line | Gift of William Pepper, 1891 |
| Other Number | 2 - Other Number |
Report problems and issues to digitalmedia@pennmuseum.org.




