Noteworthy Hawaiian Stone Implements. 



Bv Wm. T. Brigham. 



Since the publication of the account of the Hawaiian Stone 

 Implements, in the Memoirs of this Museum, Volume I., ni}- atten- 

 tion has been called to several not there mentioned, and which are 

 in private hands. The first one is a very interesting specimen be- 

 longing to Hon. S. M. Damon, and found on his estate of Moanalua. 

 In the southern and Micronesian groups, where breadfruit is a far 

 more important food than on the Hawaiian Islands, tools of various 

 forms, often made of wood, are used to split the rather tough fruit 

 of the Artocarpus, but I had never before seen any especial Hawaii- 

 an tool for this purpose. I recalled a photograph of a similar stone 

 tool in the British Museum, which I had supposed came from some 

 southern group, as no name was on the photograph ; but m}' friend 

 Mr. J. Edge-Partington, of that institution, has kindh' sent me an 

 outline drawing which shows clearly the same form. The speci- . 

 men in the British Museum is undoubtedly Hawaiian, and the 

 Damon specimen establishes this as a regular Hawaiian tool, and 

 not a solitary form. The length is 7.5 inches. Mr. Damon has 

 kindh' allowed the Museum formator to make a cast of this most 

 interesting specimen. Fig. i shows this tool. Another new form 

 is the adze represented in Fig. 2. While the general form is not 

 unusual, the cutting edge is curved and would act as a gouge, or 

 cut a groove. The specimen, with the next, is in private hands, 

 and both were found on Kauai. 



In the Memoir mentioned the sviggestion was made that the ring 

 poi pounders of Kauai might be a development of the simpler stir- 

 rup form, which is far less common than the ring or pohaku puka. 

 The curious specimen shown in Fig. 3 is intermediate between 

 these two forms ; the two horns and the concave side are retained, 

 but the hole has been pierced, and the resulting tool might be used 

 as a pounder or as a grinder. Very likely farther discoveries may 

 produce a series, or in fact complete the series already- in hand. 

 All these transition forms have been found on the island of Kauai. 

 It is hoped that at no distant day both the gouge-like adze and this 

 interesting pounder will be added to the treasures of this Museum, 

 Occasional Papers B. p. B. M., Vol. II., No. I.—.?. (33) 



