Shark Hook

2003-32-330

From: New Zealand

Curatorial Section: Oceanian

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Native Name Matau
Object Number 2003-32-330
Current Location Collections Storage
Provenience New Zealand
Period Te Huringa I Period
Date Made 1800 - 1900 CE
Section Oceanian
Materials Wood | Bone | New Zealand Flax
Description

A wooden matau (fish hook) with a muka (processed New Zealand flax) cord. The snood is also made of muka, and there is a curved bone point. Due to the large size, this matau would have been used for catching sharks, skate, or groper.

Line fishing was a regular method of catching fish. Matau could be made of wood, bone, or stone and would come in a variety of different sizes depending on the type of fish being caught.

This matau was exhibited at l'Exposition universelle de Paris 1900.

Length 28 cm
Credit Line Gift of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum (also known as the Philadelphia Civic Center Museum), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2003
Other Number 1993.X.242 - Other Number | CIVIC1993.X.242 - Other Number

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