North Pacific, Hawaiian Islands, Pre-Contact Period, ca. 18th century CE or earlier. A hefty example of a poi pounder that is hand-carved from porous, gray stone. The utilitarian tool features a large, rounded pounding face, a smooth shoulder that tapers to form the handle, and a hemispherical knob finial on top to facilitate its use. Poi pounders were one of the most important stone tools in Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands. They are used for pounding cooked taro root into poi, a staple of the islander diet. The ground-up roots were blended with water into a highly nutritious paste. Size: 5.125" W x 6.625" H (13 cm x 16.8 cm)

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#160903

Nicks to pounding face and handle commensurate with age and use, with light encrustations within some recessed areas, otherwise intact and excellent. Great surface smoothness from use.