[Tim Simmons]

Gav, thanks for bring this into discussion again. Interesting observation but I do not think we are looking at the same type of weapon.

The item was covered in a thick coating of yellowed old varnish. Which even in real live did make the object look rather unpromising and as you may recall, the auction house's online picture really did not help either. I had removed the varnish before starting this thread. There were traces of lime in the decoration carved into the hexagonal boss, sadly I could not remove the varnish and keep the lime remnants so I have added some lime seen as in these pictures {still a little too white} I have to say now as Fern suggested, it really does look like something from further west the New Hebrides, Solomons, Bismark archipelago. As to the spear idea, you can see the point is not made in a manner suitable for throwing penetration more a concentration crushing point the barbs just help in a glancing blow. The weight of the stick is 1166g with no evidence of taper on what might be thought of as a spear. So add another 1.5m or there about's and you would a very ungainly spear. I have included the page from the book mentioned for those who do not have it. The text says quite a lot about the nature of the object.