A Maori carved paddle donated by Lt. Charles Wilkes, leader of the historic United States Exploring Expedition, the first American expedition dedicate to scientific exploration to circumnavigate the globe.
FROM CARD: "[Identified as] MAORI, NEW ZEALAND. *REFER TO PLATE #381, ETHNOGRAPHIC ALBUM OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS, E. PARTINGTON AND HEAPE, 1ST SERIES."
Paddle carved from one piece of wood. Blade is an elongated flattened oval with pointed end. On back of blade is a carved "C". Near the middle of the back in the damaged area is written in black the barely legible inscription: "Ex Ex. (with Lt. Maury's collect)". This may mean that Lt. William L. Maury was the collector of this paddle.
- Title: Canoe Paddle
- Location: New Zealand, Polynesia
- Physical Dimensions: L: 171cm W, MAXIMUM: 15cm
- Type: Canoe Paddle
- Rights: This image was obtained from the Smithsonian Institution. The image or its contents may be protected by international copyright laws. http://www.si.edu/termsofuse
- External Link: View this object record in the Smithsonian Institution Collections Search Center
- USNM Catalog Number(s): E2654
- Photo Credit: Donald E. Hurlbert, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History
- Field: Ethnology
- Date Collected: 1840
- Accession Date: 1858
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