Description:

Hawaiian Islands, ca. 19th century CE. A hefty pestle created to pulverize taro root into poi. Carved from a porous dark-grey volcanic stone, this tool has a knob-shaped handle, a bell-shaped body, and a grand hemispheric pounding face. The surface is inherently adorned by hollows due to the natural porosity of the lava rock, but overall it is incredibly smooth from use and age. A wonderful example from 19th century Hawaii. Size: 7" H (17.8 cm); 8.25" H (21 cm) on included custom stand.

Poi pounders, alongside adzes, were the most important stone tools in Hawaii (Europeans introduced steel weapons). They are used for pounding cooked taro root into poi, a stable of the diet. Taro root was steamed in an earthen oven, peeled using shells, and placed onto a slab of wood to be pounded. The pounded results were blended with water into a highly nutritious paste. Traditional calabash bowls were used as containers to hold poi mixtures, and traveling royalty were accompanied by their own poi maker, with his or her own poi-making implements like this one.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#133625

  • Condition: Beautiful and intact. Divots across surface simply due to the natural porosity of the stone. Areas of lustrous patina - nice and smooth!

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May 24, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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