Paddle, D26.978

Long bladed, ornamented paddle with handle knob oblong section with backward projecting flange at top. A bird like manaia head is carved in high relief on the top of the back of the blade, a double koru spiral executed to represent an eye and a carved tongue with a tooth either side. The rear blade surface is flat across its entirely. The wood is Southern rata. Two small parallel holes situated immediately beneath the manaia figure on the upper blade have been drilled completely through in modern times. One side of the blade point is broken away.

Found in ditch bank, two feet below the surface at Lake Waihola