There are a diverse collection of objects that represent the

culture and history of the Maori people of New Zealand. These artefacts vary in

type, style, and function, and include the following:

Weapons: Maori weapons were traditionally made from wood,

bone, and stone, and included clubs, spears, and weapons with serrated edges,

such as the patu and mere.

Carvings: Maori carvings are highly symbolic and often

depict stories and legends from Maori mythology. These carvings can be found on

buildings, canoes, and other objects, and are often intricately detailed.

Jewellery: Maori jewellery often features intricate designs

and is made from materials such as bone, stone, and shell. Pendants, earrings,

and bracelets are all common forms of Maori jewellery.

Taonga puoro (musical instruments): These are traditional

Maori musical instruments, such as the p?t?tara (conch shell trumpet) and the

k?auau (flute). Maori music is an important more...

Under the New Zealand Protected Objects Act 1975, administered by the New Zealand Ministry for Culture & Heritage, the sale, trade, export and ownership of some Maori artefact are regulated
Objects over 50 years old that also have Maori cultural significance must be inspected by Ministry for Culture & Heritage, and if significant the object will be allocated a "Y" number, a unique identification number. Artefacts that have a Y number can only be purchased by those that are registered collectors with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

71 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

An impressive late 19th century carved ngati tarawhai model…

Late 19th Century Carved Ngati Tarawhai Model Pataka Showcase

An impressive late 19th century carved ngati tarawhai model Pataka (Storehouse). The paepae carved with wheku heads and manaia. The amo carved with ancestral figures with paua shell eyes. The mahi with interweaving koru designs in low relief terminating…

Mahi K?hatu, worked stone, a symmetrical cylindrical [?] Maori…

Mahi K?hatu, worked stone, a symmetrical cylindrical [?] Maori fishing stone, round hole drilled through the length of the stone, all edges and surfaces worn smooth, length 13 cm approx. Provenance: Estate of John Lawford

M?h?, stone spherical sinker, with elongated neck, beginnings…

M?h?, stone spherical sinker, with elongated neck, beginnings of hole drilled part way through the neck, top of the sinker carved with two deep grooves, the whole surface shows hammer-dressing, length 16 cm. Provenance: Estate of John Lawford.

M?h?, large stone sinker, with recessed lashing grooves around…

M?h?, large stone sinker, with recessed lashing grooves around the circumference, approx 25 x 23 cm. Provenance: Estate of John Lawford.

A mahe (stone sinker), squat spherical course volcanic stone…

A mahe (stone sinker), squat spherical course volcanic stone with lashing grooves. 11 cm diameter,

A mahe (stone sinker), spherical volcanic stone with lashing…

A mahe (stone sinker), spherical volcanic stone with lashing grooves. 9 cm diameter,

Two mahe (stone sinkers), volcanic stone with lashing grooves,…

Two mahe (stone sinkers), volcanic stone with lashing grooves, length 8 cm, 7 cm,

Stone sinker, 8 cm length.

8cm Stone Sinker for Efficient Fishing

Stone sinker, 8 cm length.

Mahe (stone sinker), 6 cm length.

6cm Mahe Stone Sinker for Fishing

Mahe (stone sinker), 6 cm length.

Two mahe (stone sinkers), course volcanic stone with lashings…

Volcanic Stone Sinkers with Lashings Grooves - 2 Pack

Two mahe (stone sinkers), course volcanic stone with lashings grooves, 12 cm, 9 cm length.

Mahe (stone sinker), with natural piercing through the center…

Natural Grooved Mahe Stone Sinker - 7cm Length

Mahe (stone sinker), with natural piercing through the center lashing groove, 7 cm length.

A mahe (stone sinker), volcanic stone with lashing grooves…

Volcanic Stone Sinkers with Lashing Grooves

A mahe (stone sinker), volcanic stone with lashing grooves around the circumference, 7 cm length.

A mahe (stone sinker), basalt with lashing grooves, 7 cm length.

Basalt Mahe with Lashing Grooves

A mahe (stone sinker), basalt with lashing grooves, 7 cm length.

A large mahe (stone sinker), with lashing groove around the…

12cm Mahe with Lashing Groove

A large mahe (stone sinker), with lashing groove around the circumference, 12 cm length.

Three mahe (stone sinkers), with lashing grooves around the…

Stone Sinkers with Lashing Grooves and Inscriptions

Three mahe (stone sinkers), with lashing grooves around the circumference. One inscribed with 'Pakawau'', 8 cm, 7 cm, 6 cm length., 2 x

A mahe (stone sinker), argillite with lashing groove around the…

Argillite Mahe with Lashing Groove

A mahe (stone sinker), argillite with lashing groove around the circumference, 7 cm length.

A mahe (stone sinker), volcanic stone with lashing grooves, 9…

Volcanic Stone Mahe with Lashing Grooves

A mahe (stone sinker), volcanic stone with lashing grooves, 9 cm length.

A mahe (stone sinker), course volcanic stone, 8 cm height.

Volcanic Stone Mahe: 8cm Sinkers for Fishing

A mahe (stone sinker), course volcanic stone, 8 cm height.

A mahe (stone sinker), volcanic stone with lashing grooves, 9…

Volcanic Stone Mahe with Lashing Grooves

A mahe (stone sinker), volcanic stone with lashing grooves, 9 cm length.

A large mahe (stone sinker), with a deeply recessed lashing…

Mahe: Deeply Grooved Stone Sinker - 13cm Length

A large mahe (stone sinker), with a deeply recessed lashing groove around the circumference, 13 cm length.

A pre-European stone mahi (sinker), spherical form with pecked…

Pre-European Stone Mahi Sinker, 7.5 cm Length

A pre-European stone mahi (sinker), spherical form with pecked concave encircling band, length 7.5 cm

An old Maori mahi (stone sinker), conical form with encircling…

Maori stone sinker with lashing groove

An old Maori mahi (stone sinker), conical form with encircling pecked lashing groove, flat bottom, height 7 cm.

A large mahe (sinker), course volcanic stone. Lashing groove…

Volcanic stone mahe with lashing groove

A large mahe (sinker), course volcanic stone. Lashing groove around the circumference. 9 cm diameter. Y number pending

Mahe (sinker), volcanic stone with crosssection lashing grooves.…

Volcanic Mahe Sinker with Lashing Grooves

Mahe (sinker), volcanic stone with crosssection lashing grooves. 8 cm length. Y number pending

A good rare Pre-European mahe (sinker), stone tool carved with…

Rare Mahe Sinker with Carved Figures and Grooves

A good rare Pre-European mahe (sinker), stone tool carved with a figure to each side with wheku head. Each figure with folded legs. One figure with hands placed to abdomen, the other with hands placed on to the legs. The base with concentric grooves.…

Small flat limestone mehe (sinker), with eight notches around…

Limestone Sinker with Notches and Lashing Groove

Small flat limestone mehe (sinker), with eight notches around the exterior and lashing groove around the circumference. 3 cm length.

Limestone mahe ( sinker), ovoid shape with lashing groove…

Portland Island Limestone Sinker with Lashing Groove

Limestone mahe ( sinker), ovoid shape with lashing groove around the circumference. Provenance: Portland Island. Field collection, 6.6 cm width.

Four limestone mahe (sinkers)

Limestone Sinkers: Four Unique Mahe

Four limestone mahe (sinkers)

Five limestone sinkers. Provenance: field collection

Limestone Sinkers from Field Collection

Five limestone sinkers. Provenance: field collection

Twelve limestone sinkers. Provenance: field collection

Limestone Sinkers from Field Collection

Twelve limestone sinkers. Provenance: field collection

A mahe stone sinker, Aotearoa, made from a greywacke boulder.…

Maori Stone Fishing Sinker with Shallow Groove

A mahe stone sinker, Aotearoa, made from a greywacke boulder. This fishing sinker has a single shallow groove encircling the stone, depth 9 cm

A mahe stone sinker, Aotearoa, made from a greywacke boulder.…

Maori Stone Sinker with Lashing Grooves

A mahe stone sinker, Aotearoa, made from a greywacke boulder. An oval form with two a horizontal and a vertical peaked lashing groove encircling the stone. Height 11 cm, width 7.5 cm.

Stone mahe (sinker), ovoid shape, dark volcanic rock with…

Dark volcanic sinker stone with lashing groove

Stone mahe (sinker), ovoid shape, dark volcanic rock with lashing groove to the center, 11 cm diameter

Sinker stones two mahe (sinkers), one of light grey volcanic…

Pair of Lashed Volcanic Sinkers - 10cm and 8cm

Sinker stones two mahe (sinkers), one of light grey volcanic rock, the other dark volcanic rock, each with lashing grooves across the surface, 10 cm and 8 cm length and

Stone mahe (sinker stone), ovoid shape, grey volcanic rock with…

Sinker Stone: Ovoid Grey Volcanic Rock with Lashing Groove

Stone mahe (sinker stone), ovoid shape, grey volcanic rock with central lashing groove, 9 cm diameter

Large net sinker, Dense heavy volcanic rock with lashing groove…

Volcanic Rock Net Sinker with Lashing Groove

Large net sinker, Dense heavy volcanic rock with lashing groove to each side, 24 cm length

An ovoid stone net sinker, Porous volcanic stone with cruciform…

Porous Stone Net Sinker with Cruciform Grooves

An ovoid stone net sinker, Porous volcanic stone with cruciform lashing grooves

Stone mahe (sinker), Coase Volcanic stone with central lashing…

Coase Volcanic Stone Sinker with Central Lashing Groove

Stone mahe (sinker), Coase Volcanic stone with central lashing groove, 6 cm diameter

An early Maori stone carved mahe (sinker), with hour-glass…

Early Maori Stone Sinker with Hour-Glass Suspension Hole

An early Maori stone carved mahe (sinker), with hour-glass suspension hole to the tapered arched top, bulbous body. Height 15 cm.

A Maori pre-European mahe (stone sinker), knopped type, pecked…

Maori Knopped Stone Sinker with Pecked Finish

A Maori pre-European mahe (stone sinker), knopped type, pecked overall finish, flat base. Height 11.5 cm.

Stone mahe/sinker, 11 cm long

11cm Stone Sinker

Stone mahe/sinker, 11 cm long

Stone mahe/sinker, 11 cm long

11cm Stone Sinker

Stone mahe/sinker, 11 cm long

An old Maori notch topped stone sinker, bulbous form with…

Maori Notched Stone Sinker with Relief Bands

An old Maori notch topped stone sinker, bulbous form with natural flat base, the reduced oval notched top with relief curving linear bands, semi-cylindrical suspension hole, mid/pale tone. Diameter approx. 9.5 cm. Provenance: Ex. A private Auckland estate.

A Maori pre-European stone mahe (sinker), spherical form with…

Maori Stone Sinker with Groove

A Maori pre-European stone mahe (sinker), spherical form with pecked encircling groove. Approx. diameter 7.5 cm.

A pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). Large suspension…

Maori stone mahe with lashing groove and inscription

A pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). Large suspension hole to tapering top. Lashing groove to underside. '206 Wainui Bay' in white ink to side. Width 24 cm

Pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). No suspension hole…

Pre-19th Century Maori Stone Sinker (9cm Width)

Pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). No suspension hole to top knob. Width 9 cm

A pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). Suspension hole…

Pre-19th Century Maori Stone Sinker with Suspension Hole

A pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). Suspension hole to raised knob. Width 9 cm. '211' in white ink to side

A pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). Relatively smooth…

Maori Stone Sinker with Suspension Hole

A pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). Relatively smooth knob with suspension hole. Some loss to one side. '202' in white ink to side. Width 10 cm

A pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). Suspension hole…

Pre-19th Century Maori Stone Sinker

A pre 19th century Maori stone mahe (sinker). Suspension hole unfinished to knob. Height 9.5 cm

A pre 19th century stone mahe (sinker). Large knob with hour…

Pre-19th Century Stone Mahe with Hour Glass Suspension Hole

A pre 19th century stone mahe (sinker). Large knob with hour glass suspension hole. Lashing grove to underside. Width 8 cm

A pre 19th century Maori stone sinker of oval shape with…

Maori Oval Stone Sinker with Lashing Groove

A pre 19th century Maori stone sinker of oval shape with Lashing groove to Circumference. Cord attached. Length 4.5 cm. Provenance: Webster collection no.1290

A 19th century or earlier mahe (sinker), the spherical stone…

Antique Spherical Stone Mahe with Notch Cut Band

A 19th century or earlier mahe (sinker), the spherical stone with encircling shallow notch cut band. the widest diameter approx. 8.5 cm. Provenance: Private Estate Collection

A carved broadbill bill, decoration of marlin, mahi mahi and…

Carved Broadbill and Oceanic Motifs Decoration

A carved broadbill bill, decoration of marlin, mahi mahi and waves. Length 57.7 cm

Two mahe - stone sinkers both with lashing grooves, length 6 cm…

Lashed Stone Sinkers from Neil Darroch Collection

Two mahe - stone sinkers both with lashing grooves, length 6 cm & 3.5 cm, . Provenance: Neil Darroch collection

Stone sinker, with lashing grove, Y17542

Lashed Stone Sinker Y17542

Stone sinker, with lashing grove, Y17542

A rare Maori figure decorated sinker (mahe), large sections of…

Maori Figure Sinker with Carved Heads

A rare Maori figure decorated sinker (mahe), large sections of the sinker body broken and absent, the top carved with two heads framing a deep hour glass suspension hole. Y registered. Width 11 cm

Important Mahe - Sinker. A very rare Pre-European stone carved…

Rare Maori God Sinker with Carved Figures

Important Mahe - Sinker. A very rare Pre-European stone carved God sinker (mahe) or ballast stone, with carved janus manaia figures to the top which is perforated for attachment to a line. Of exceptional quality and superior to those in the British Museum…

Mahe Stone Sinker. White stone/quartz with rope following…

Web Coll Stone Sinker with Inscription

Mahe Stone Sinker. White stone/quartz with rope following carved groove in stone. Rope attached both ends. Inscribed in black: 'Web Coll 1288'. Buller red label '12' attached. Length 29.6 cm. Width 4 cm. Kenneth Athol Webster collection No. 1288, New…

Mahe Stone Sinker. A rare, early-contactperiod brown stone…

Early Maori Stone Sinker with Rope Groove

Mahe Stone Sinker. A rare, early-contactperiod brown stone sinker with rope groove. Rope attached at both ends. Attached Buller red label with the number '14'; 'Web Col 1293' inscribed below. Length 20.5 cm. Width 3.4 cm. Kenneth Athol Webster collection…

A pre- European Maori stone sinker, with carved incipient head,…

Maori stone sinker with incipient head

A pre- European Maori stone sinker, with carved incipient head, Y16342. Provenance: Found on a beach in Tauranga in the 1920s.

Mahe - sinker. Classic ovoid form with groove for attachment of…

Ovoid Mahe Sinker with Patina Surface

Mahe - sinker. Classic ovoid form with groove for attachment of line, pecked surface with a weathered patina. Length 7 cm. Width 7.5 cm.

A mahe (sinker stone), of oval form with lashing grove to the…

Oval Sinker Stone with Lashing Grove

A mahe (sinker stone), of oval form with lashing grove to the centre. Width 9 cm

Group of mahe (2) classic oval cross-section. Pecked finish…

Mahe Classic Oval Cross-Section with Worked Groove

Group of mahe (2) classic oval cross-section. Pecked finish with worked groove across length for attaching muka cord. Greywacke. Length 8.3 cm. Width 6.5 cm. Length 8 cm. Width 7 cm

A Maori stone sinker (mahe), with flattened ovoid form and…

Maori Stone Sinker with Lashing Groove

A Maori stone sinker (mahe), with flattened ovoid form and lashing groove around the long axis. Length 10 cm

A Maori stone sinker (mahe), with flattened ovoid with lashing…

Maori stone sinker with lashing groove

A Maori stone sinker (mahe), with flattened ovoid with lashing groove around the long axis. Length 11 cm

An early 19th century Maori stone fishing sinker (mahe), with…

Maori Stone Fishing Sinker on Rope

An early 19th century Maori stone fishing sinker (mahe), with pierced hourglass suspension hole. On fibre rope. height 11 cm

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) classic oval cross-section. Pecked…

Mahe Oval Stone Sinkers with Muka Cord Attachment Groove

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) classic oval cross-section. Pecked finish with worked groove across length for attaching muka cord. Length 9 cm. Width 8.5 cm; length 7 cm. Width 6 cm

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) Orthodox form, grove across length for…

Orthodox Stone Sinkers with Muka Cord Attachment Groove

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) Orthodox form, grove across length for attaching muka cord. Diameter 6.8 cm (longest), diameter 5.8 cm (shortest); diameter 7 cm (longest), diameter 5.8 cm (shortest)

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) both of orthodox form with oval…

Orthodox Stone Sinkers with Groove for Cord Attachment

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) both of orthodox form with oval cross-section. Pecked, worked groove across length for attaching muka cord. Greywacke. One with collection label attached: 'Matamata N.I 2/56'. Length 33 cm width 6.5 cm; length 5.5 cm. Width 4.8 cm

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) classic oval cross-section. Pecked…

Classic Oval Stone Sinkers with Muka Cord Attachment

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) classic oval cross-section. Pecked finish with worked groove across length for attaching muka cord. Length 8.5 cm. Width 75; length 7.5 cm. Width 7 cm

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) classic oval cross-section. Pecked…

Classic Oval Stone Sinkers with Muka Cord Attachment

Mahe - stone sinkers (2) classic oval cross-section. Pecked finish with worked groove across length for attaching muka cord. Greywacke. Length 8.5 cm. Width 6.5 cm; length 6 cm. Width 5 cm