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The Material Culture of the Cook Islands (Aitutaki)

C.—Transitional Forms

page 238

C.—Transitional Forms.

(A.)—The rough adzes from Mr. Wix's collection shown in Fig. 207 are interesting as showing the effect of the triangular adze technique on relatively thin pieces of
Figure 207. Transitional Types, Rarotonga.

Figure 207.
Transitional Types, Rarotonga.

stone, as shown by the cross sections. The three examples have all been shaped by chipping away the lateral parts of the butt to form grips.

Anteriorly (upper row of figures), A has no distinction between butt and blade, B has been chipped and pecked in parts, whilst C has a distinct butt shoulder. In A and C the blade narrows to the cutting edge, and in B it widens.

The sections are taken across the line a b in the upper row of figures.

Posteriorly (lowest row of figures), A and B have bevel surfaces with shoulders, whilst in C the bevel surface is continuous with the posterior surface.

The adzes are rough and not well finished, as the material was probably not worth it. They are roughly quadrangular in section, and though coming under the type of Fig. 202, the shape has been influenced by the thinness of the material.

(B.)An unfinished adze from Rarotonga is shown in Fig. 208. The cutting edge is much battered, as if the page 239
Figure 208. Unfinished Rarotongan Adze (Auckland Museum).

Figure 208.
Unfinished Rarotongan Adze (Auckland Museum).

Figure 209. Quadrangular Adze in a Mangaian Peace Adze Handle (Auckland Museum).

Figure 209.
Quadrangular Adze in a Mangaian Peace Adze Handle (Auckland Museum).

page 240 implement had been used for hammering. The slightest indication of a median ridge indicates the posterior aspect of the implement. Its feature is its comparative thinness. If ground down and the sides shaped inwards posteriorly the adze is too thin for them to meet in a posterior edge. The adze would then fall into the quadrangular first type, Fig. 202.