Solomon, Hawaiian or????

[Ron Anderson]

I have no idea what it is but I do like it.

[fearn]

No clue here, either, I'm afraid. Definitely Post-Contact, wherever it came from. Possibly very Post-Contact. Might be a good door guard, though.

Best,

F

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by fearn

No clue here, either, I'm afraid. Definitely Post-Contact, wherever it came from. Possibly very Post-Contact. Might be a good door guard, though.

Best,

F

Thanks Ron, Fearn.

My guess is the first half of the 20th century, metal tools have been used to incise the face. The warmth in the handle area shows me is was much used as does the wear to the base from resting on a non paved surface. There is a very nice build up of surface patina too and the chipping from strikes also shows the same stable warm age patina. The flash obscures the warth a little too
I feel strongly towards the Solomon regions but will wait to see what others have to say.

Gav

[Gavin Nugent]

Whilst others are pondering, just diversing a little, what out there is known about the purpose behind faces on clubs, it does go back several hundred years, I imagine legend, stories and warding evil spirits and it is seen in so many Pacific cultures, actually everywhere in the world clubs are found I am sure these stories are abound.

Gav

[Ron Anderson]

I think in some cultures there is some significance in having faces on clubs. For instance, those whalebones clubs of the NW Pacific. There seems to be significance there, though I personally don't know what it is. It may just be identification of clan/tribe.

In other cultures, it seems pure ornamentation. I think of zulu knobkerries, for instance, were the head of the club has been made into a head/face with nails for eyes. I suspect this has no deeper signficance at all, other than a clever utilisation of the form to create added interest. Art for the sake of art.

In this particular club, my guess is that it is a symbol of aggression. But that's just a guess. I suppose based on the fact that it reminds me of Maori artefacts (and the haka, for that matter), with the tongue sticking out – some kind of war-like challenge among Polynesians perhaps.

[fearn]

Remember, for most weapons their primary purpose is to be seen, not used to hurt people. This is simple logic: societies where people go around swinging sharp things all day usually don't last, out of simple exhaustion.

That's why most weapons are ornamented. It's for that 80% (or 99%) of the time that they're not being used, and they need to just sit there looking scary, cool, or both.

Why not put a face on it?

Best,

F

[Lew]

Originally Posted by fearn

Remember, for most weapons their primary purpose is to be seen, not used to hurt people. This is simple logic: societies where people go around swinging sharp things all day usually don't last, out of simple exhaustion.

That's why most weapons are ornamented. It's for that 80% (or 99%) of the time that they're not being used, and they need to just sit there looking scary, cool, or both.

Why not put a face on it?

Best,

F

Fearn

Most weapons are made to kill and inflict injury. I understand that in some tribal cultures some weapons are oversized or carved with scarey faces to add a psychological effect when it is seen by the opposing warrior or the carvings could be a form of status symbol within the tribe but to say that there primary purpose is to be seen and not to be used just does not sound right to me unless these are ceremonial weapons?