Micronesian spears?

Tim Simmons · 29th July 2010, 07:07 PM

The trouble is there is no idea of scale in the plate. At that time of etching the plate they were more interested in the finished pattern. I imagine with the central knuckle it is a one handed weapon?

Also adding this picture of Malinowski. Interesting he displays a strong power posture. It is no wonder he felt his work lacked something. Still not many decades earlier the Islanders would have be seen as godless savages, so there was some improvement.

Tim Simmons · 29th July 2010, 08:32 PM

I have this stick. I have always thought it to be African because of the bi-coloured wood. This is need not be the case. F nows about wood he is a botonist. I show it next to an Australian club and Massim region sword club. The sword club also displays bi-colouration. I suspect the double ended spike thing is a palmwood, I am not sure about the sword club. I have googled palmwood and it is said to appear in varried colours. I am now thinking this might be a more interesting piece?

fearn · 29th July 2010, 10:10 PM

Got me, Tim.

The grain will give the wood away faster than the color. Palm wood has parallel fibers in it, like bamboo, randomly dispersed in the wood matrix. It looks very different from dicot wood. Just looking at the coloring, I'd say that all three are from dicot woods.

As for the origin of the double-spike, I don't know either. I'm pretty comfortable saying it's not coconut, pandanus, or breadfruit wood. It might be from Casuarina equisetifolia (she-oak/ironwood), Terminalia wood, or something else (if you want to do your own research).

Most of the atoll woods seem to be lighter in color than those weapons, but then again, I don't know what they're making them out of in the Massim region either.

Best,

F

Tim Simmons · 30th July 2010, 07:42 AM

F. Thanks for the link. These pictures are where the grain can be more easily seen by a dummy like me and my camara. They probably do not help. I was thinking , a type of palmwood by the long open grain? Looking and bit like blood vessels in a piece of bone? The other items shown in the thread have a more closed? grain. What do you think?

fearn · 30th July 2010, 05:15 PM

You're right, that does look like palmwood, although I'm definitely not an expert on tropical woods. Thanks: I didn't know that palm wood could be bicolored like that. Interesting...

Best,

F

Tim Simmons · 30th January 2011, 07:36 PM

Just had to add this picture. How things change? two decades on from Malinowski. Alfred Buhler in the Admiralty Islands. So all old oppions and records could be suspect in many ways.

29th July 2010, 07:07 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	The trouble is there is no idea of scale in the plate. At that time of etching the plate they were more interested in the finished pattern. I imagine with the central knuckle it is a one handed weapon? Also adding this picture of Malinowski. Interesting he displays a strong power posture. It is no wonder he felt his work lacked something. Still not many decades earlier the Islanders would have be seen as godless savages, so there was some improvement. Attached Images

29th July 2010, 08:32 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	I have this stick. I have always thought it to be African because of the bi-coloured wood. This is need not be the case. F nows about wood he is a botonist. I show it next to an Australian club and Massim region sword club. The sword club also displays bi-colouration. I suspect the double ended spike thing is a palmwood, I am not sure about the sword club. I have googled palmwood and it is said to appear in varried colours. I am now thinking this might be a more interesting piece? Attached Images

30th July 2010, 07:42 AM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	F. Thanks for the link. These pictures are where the grain can be more easily seen by a dummy like me and my camara. They probably do not help. I was thinking , a type of palmwood by the long open grain? Looking and bit like blood vessels in a piece of bone? The other items shown in the thread have a more closed? grain. What do you think? Attached Images

30th January 2011, 07:36 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Just had to add this picture. How things change? two decades on from Malinowski. Alfred Buhler in the Admiralty Islands. So all old oppions and records could be suspect in many ways. Attached Images

29th July 2010, 10:10 PM	#3
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Got me, Tim. The grain will give the wood away faster than the color. Palm wood has parallel fibers in it, like bamboo, randomly dispersed in the wood matrix. It looks very different from dicot wood. Just looking at the coloring, I'd say that all three are from dicot woods. As for the origin of the double-spike, I don't know either. I'm pretty comfortable saying it's not coconut, pandanus, or breadfruit wood. It might be from Casuarina equisetifolia (she-oak/ironwood), Terminalia wood, or something else (if you want to do your own research). Most of the atoll woods seem to be lighter in color than those weapons, but then again, I don't know what they're making them out of in the Massim region either. Best, F

30th July 2010, 05:15 PM	#5
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	You're right, that does look like palmwood, although I'm definitely not an expert on tropical woods. Thanks: I didn't know that palm wood could be bicolored like that. Interesting... Best, F