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.

52 items found:

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

A Pre-European kuru handle section. The stone pounder broken…

A Pre-European kuru handle section. The stone pounder broken with the lower section absent. Carved with a wheku head in high profile Length.14 cm

A patu aruhe, Aotearoa, patu aruhe (fernroot beater). Pounders…

Aruhe Fernroot Pounder from Aotearoa

A patu aruhe, Aotearoa, patu aruhe (fernroot beater). Pounders in wood were used to process the aruhe (roots) of the Rauaruhe (bracken fern). The process included soaking in water then roasting, steaming or boiling the roots before finally pounding them…

A pre-European patu muka (stone flax pounder), traditional…

Traditional Patu Muka Stone Flax Pounder

A pre-European patu muka (stone flax pounder), traditional elongated ovoid body with reduced grip and four concentric pecked bands to the domed butt, good defined detail and medium polish. Length 24 cm. Provenance: Private Estate Collection

A patu aruhe, Whangarei Region, made from a dense brown wood.…

Aruhe Patu from Whangarei Region

A patu aruhe, Whangarei Region, made from a dense brown wood. This pounder is used for beating rauaruhe fern down to extract the edible flesh from the fibres. This patu has a circular cross section that tapers up to the butt of the handle. Written in…

Patu muka, stone pounder of classic form and large proportions.…

Classic Large Patu Muka Stone Pounder

Patu muka, stone pounder of classic form and large proportions. Ovoid cross section and body tapering to a flared rounded end. Length 37 cm. Width 10.5 cm

Patu muka (flax pounder), Argillite stone with overall pecked…

Argillite Patu Muka

Patu muka (flax pounder), Argillite stone with overall pecked finish, 27 cm length

Patu muku (pounder), pecked and polished greywacke, four…

Polished Greywacke Patu Muku with Four Grooves

Patu muku (pounder), pecked and polished greywacke, four concentric grooves to the handle base. 22 cm length

Patu muka (flax pounder), argillite stone. Rounded end and…

Argillite Patu Muka from Gibbs Collection

Patu muka (flax pounder), argillite stone. Rounded end and conical to shoulder, knob rounded and grooved. Hammer pecked surface. Provenance: Dame Jenny Gibbs collection. 23 cm length.

A patu muka, Maori stone flax fibre pounder and a Greywacke…

Maori Stone Tools for Flax Preparation and Adze Crafting

A patu muka, Maori stone flax fibre pounder and a Greywacke toki, Maori adze blade, the patu muka with greywacke ovoid body shape and short grip. Used in the preparation of muka by beating the fibres extracted from New Zealand flax (harakeke), to produce…

A pre-European Maori patu muka (stone pounder), of traditional…

Traditional Maori Stone Pounder

A pre-European Maori patu muka (stone pounder), of traditional form with well defined features, peaked reduced grip, flared butt end, the pounding surface worn smooth and of good dark tone. Reg. Y20381. Length 22 cm

Patu muka, round based stone pounder, with pitting marks, shaft…

Patu muka, round based stone pounder, with pitting marks, shaft smooth, handle and top covered with hammer dressing, the round top is worn but remains of three concentric oval grooves on the top remain, length 27 cm. Provenance: Estate of John Lawford.

A patu muka, Aotearoa. This flax pounder is made from a…

Flax Pounder from Greywacke Boulder in Aotearoa

A patu muka, Aotearoa. This flax pounder is made from a greywacke boulder. There are areas of the natural surface of the boulder and other heavily smoothed surfaces from use. Length 22.5 cm, width 8 cm

A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in volcanic stone, well…

Volcanic Stone Patu Muka with Carved Handle

A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in volcanic stone, well defined grip section with three concentric grooves carved to the handle base. Hammer pecked surface, 20 cm length.

A pre-European Maori patu muka (stone pounder), mildly tapered…

Maori Stone Pounder with Tapered Grip and Domed Butt

A pre-European Maori patu muka (stone pounder), mildly tapered bulbous end, tapered waisted grip, ridged domed butt end. Length 225. Registered Y21166.

Pre-European patu muka (pounder), course pecked volcanic stone,…

Pre-European volcanic stone pounder

Pre-European patu muka (pounder), course pecked volcanic stone, knob end tapering to shoulder, rounded end. 31 cm length

Patu muka (stone pounder), Argillite stone, reducing to the…

Argillite Patu Muka: Pecked and Polished Stone Pounder

Patu muka (stone pounder), Argillite stone, reducing to the upper section with pecked and polished finish, 20 cm length

Patu muka, stone flax fibre pounder, handgrip formed in the…

Patu muka, stone flax fibre pounder, handgrip formed in the first 10 cm, rounded butt & base, length 24 cm. Provenance: Estate of John Lawford.

18th century or earlier patu muka (stone pounder), of bulbous…

Bulbous Patu Muka Stone Pounder with Ridges

18th century or earlier patu muka (stone pounder), of bulbous form with fine ridges to butt, length 23 cm.

A Maori stone fern root pounder (patu muka). Length 27 cm

Maori fern root pounder

A Maori stone fern root pounder (patu muka). Length 27 cm

Patu muka (flax pounder), grey Volcanic stone, pecked all over…

Grey volcanic stone flax pounder

Patu muka (flax pounder), grey Volcanic stone, pecked all over finish, 27 cm length.

A pre-European patu muka (stone flax pounder), traditional…

Traditional Patu Muka Stone Flax Pounder

A pre-European patu muka (stone flax pounder), traditional shape, short through the reduced grip area, shallow grooves to the poll. Length 20.9 cm. Provenance: From the collection of Dr Denis and Joy Hanna.

A pre-European Maori patu muka (stone flax pounder),…

Maori stone flax pounder with bulbous head

A pre-European Maori patu muka (stone flax pounder), traditional bulbous head, pecked waisted grip and knob end, dark tone, length 19.5 cm.

Patu aruhe (fern root pounder), tapering from knob end to…

Tapered Patu Aruhe: 33cm Fern Root Pounder

Patu aruhe (fern root pounder), tapering from knob end to rounded bottom. 33 cm length.

A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in argillite stone,…

Argillite Patu Muka with Defined Grip and Scarring

A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in argillite stone, defined grip section and handle base. Some scarring to one side of the body, 23 cm length.

A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in argillite stone, oval…

Argillite Patu Muka with Hammered Surface and Grooves

A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in argillite stone, oval cross section with hammer pecked surface. Three concentric grooves to the handle base, 21 cm length.

18th century or earlier patu muka (stone pounder), of tapering…

Tapering Patu Muka Stone Pounder, 18th Century

18th century or earlier patu muka (stone pounder), of tapering cylindrical form, flared butt, length 31 cm.

Muku (flax pounder) patu muka (flax pounder), Coarse volcanic…

Hammered volcanic stone flax pounder

Muku (flax pounder) patu muka (flax pounder), Coarse volcanic stone. Hammer pecked finish, 17 cm length

Patu aruhe, wooden fern root pounder, with semi rounded body,…

Patu aruhe, wooden fern root pounder, with semi rounded body, tapered down to handle end with rounded butt, with burn & scorch marks, length 34.5 cm. Provenance: Estate of John Lawford.

18th century or earlier patu muka (stone pounder), of rounded…

Antique Stone Pounder with Worn Butt

18th century or earlier patu muka (stone pounder), of rounded form, worn butt, length 30 cm.

Patu Muka. Large stone pounder with circular cross section,…

Andesite Stone Pounder with Notched Handle

Patu Muka. Large stone pounder with circular cross section, bulbous body, extends to top notched handle. Surface is rough and pitted. Andesite. Length 29.5 cm. Width 9 cm. Private collection, New Zealand

Stone patu muka aruhe (pounder), 21.5 cm long

Stone Aruhe Pounding Tool - 21.5cm Long

Stone patu muka aruhe (pounder), 21.5 cm long

Stone patu muka aruhe (pounder), 21 cm long

Stone Aruhe Pounding Tool - 21cm Length

Stone patu muka aruhe (pounder), 21 cm long

Patu muka (flax pounder), with overall pecked finish, 25 cm…

Pecked Finish Flax Pounder - 25cm Length

Patu muka (flax pounder), with overall pecked finish, 25 cm length

A 19th century or earlier patu aruhe (fern root pounder),…

Antique Fern Root Pounder

A 19th century or earlier patu aruhe (fern root pounder), traditional flared form of circular cross section, the butt showing some distress, length 30 cm. Provenance: Private Estate Collection

Patu muka (pounder), rounded end tapering to the knob. Pecked…

Volcanic Stone Pounder with Rounded Knob

Patu muka (pounder), rounded end tapering to the knob. Pecked course volcanic stone. 12 cm length. Y number pending

A Maori pre-European patu aruhe (fern root pounder), of large…

Maori Fern Root Pounder, Traditional Large Size

A Maori pre-European patu aruhe (fern root pounder), of large size, traditional form, length 35 cm.

Two Maori stone pounders. Length 27.8 cm. Length 19.6 cm

Maori Stone Pounders Pair

Two Maori stone pounders. Length 27.8 cm. Length 19.6 cm

A pre-European Maori stone patu muka (flax pounder),…

Maori Stone Flax Pounder with Pecked Finish

A pre-European Maori stone patu muka (flax pounder), traditional plain form with reduced grip, fine pecked overall finish. Length 19.5 cm

Assorted items from Papua New Guinea, including; a hafted adze,…

Papua New Guinea's Cultural Treasures

Assorted items from Papua New Guinea, including; a hafted adze, shell currency, body adornment, a carved wood figure, pounder, penis gourd, and others.

A Maori stone fern root pounder (patu muka). Found in a creek…

Maori Stone Fern Root Pounder from Matata Creek

A Maori stone fern root pounder (patu muka). Found in a creek new Matata in the 1930s. Length 24 cm

An 18th century stone flax pounder (patu muka). Length 29 cm

18th Century Flax Pounder: 29cm Stone Patu Muka

An 18th century stone flax pounder (patu muka). Length 29 cm

Patu aruhe, wooden fern root pounder, handgrip formed in the…

Patu aruhe, wooden fern root pounder, handgrip formed in the first 14.5 cm with rounded butt, flat base, length 31 cm. Provenance: Estate of John Lawford.

An 18th century Maori stone pounder (patu muka), in good…

18th Century Maori Stone Pounder (Patu Muka)

An 18th century Maori stone pounder (patu muka), in good condition. Raised ridge butt end. Length 27 cm

A 19th century or earlier patu aruhe (wooden fern root pounder),…

Antique Fern Root Pounder from 19th Century

A 19th century or earlier patu aruhe (wooden fern root pounder), curved form with small butt end. Length 27.5 cm. Provenance: Found 1961, Ohautira station, upper reaches Raglan Harbour area. Being assessed for registration.

Patu Aruhe - Pounder. The patu aruhe (bracken-fern-root…

Aruhe Pounder: Ancient Tool for Food Preparation

Patu Aruhe - Pounder. The patu aruhe (bracken-fern-root pounder) is associated with food preparation; signs of considerable age. Early 19th century or earlier. May have been swamp preserved. Length 29.5 cm. Width 6.5 cm. Private Collection, New Zealand

Patu muku ( flax pounder), coarse volcanic stone with overall…

Volcanic stone flax pounder, 18 cm length

Patu muku ( flax pounder), coarse volcanic stone with overall pecked finish, 18 cm length

Patu aruhe - pounder classic bulbous form with blackened,…

Bulbous Patu Aruhe Pounder with Dark Patina

Patu aruhe - pounder classic bulbous form with blackened, dark-brown patina. Length 27 cm. Width 8 cm

Stone patu muka aruhe (pounder), 26.5 cm long

Stone Aruhe Pounding Tool

Stone patu muka aruhe (pounder), 26.5 cm long

Three swamp recovered artefacts, a patu arahe (fern root…

Swamp Artifacts: Tools and Top from Palisade Post

Three swamp recovered artefacts, a patu arahe (fern root pounder), a digging tool and top from a palisade post. Provenance: field collection

Large Pre-European patu muka (stone pounder), Quadrangular form…

Pre-European Stone Pounder with Broken Handle

Large Pre-European patu muka (stone pounder), Quadrangular form with rounded lateral edges. Top portion of handle broken away. 22 cm length

Stone patu muka aruhe (pounder), 12 cm long

Aruhe Stone Pounder, 12cm

Stone patu muka aruhe (pounder), 12 cm long