I AM LUCKY TO HAVE ACCESS TO BOTH MODERN AND OLD ITEMS IN MY COLLECTIONS SO CAN DO COMPARASONS. THE USE OF A GOOD MICROSCOPE ALLOWS ME TO MAKE PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS AND COMPARISONS. THOUGH I AM NOT A LICENSED CONSERVATOR I HAVE MADE OBSERVATIONS FOR MANY YEARS OF MANY ETHINOGRAPHIC ITEMS WEAPONS BEING A SMALL PORTION THEREOF. I HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF SHARK TOOTH AND OTHER TYPES OF FISH TEETH AND BONE WEAPONS AND A FEW TOOLS AVAILABLE BUT THIS ITEM WE DISCUSS HERE IS NEW TO ME. HANDELING THE ITEM I SUSPECT IT TO BE A TOOL OR CEREMONIAL ITEM FOR REASONS STATED ABOVE NOT A WEAPON. PERHAPS THE BISHOP MUSEUM OR ONE OF THE OTHER BIG MUSEUMS MAY HAVE AN EXAMPLE IN THEIR EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS OR REFRENCES. I AM LIMITED IN BOTH FIELDS IN COMPARISON BUT DO THE BEST I CAN. THE HAIR LOOKS HUMAN AND IS TOO BRITTLE WITH AGE TO HAVE BEEN WORKED RECENTLY I COMPARED IT TO SEVERAL MANDAU I HAVE WITH HUMAN HAIR THAT ARE AROUND 150 YEARS OR OLDER. THE DUST SEEN IS NOT ARTIFICIALLY ADDED MUD OR GRIME AS I OFTEN SEE IN ITEMS FROM CHINA AND NEW GUINEA.
ATTACHED IS A LITTLE TABLE EXHIBIT OF TOOTHED WEAPONS I BROUGHT TO TIMONIUM IN 2007
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