Description:

Polynesia, Samoa Islands, ca. 19th century CE. An enormous wooden kava vessel in the form of a sea turtle. The circular receptacle is supported upon six integral legs. Large bowls of this kind (known as tanoa or kumete ni yaqona), cut from a single block, were used for the mixing of the psychoactive beverage called kava (kava or kava kava in Tongan; yaqona, pronounced yanggona, in Fijian), made from the stems and roots of the pepper bush Piper methysticum, mixed with water. By the 18th century, the Tongan practice of kava preparation - a chief ritual - spread to other regions of Oceania like Samoa. Size: 32.5" in diameter x 11.125" H (82.6 cm x 28.3 cm)

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, according to the consignor this piece was given by the King of Samoa to America Governor Stephenson in 1930’s

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#146136

  • Condition: A 5" fissure and a 3" fissure to opposite sides of the rim. Expected losses to termini of feet commensurate with age and use. Otherwise the form is sound and the wood has developed a rich patina.

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November 14, 2019 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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