Skip to main content
Adze Head, date unknown
Bimin-Kuskusmin culture; Sandaun (West Sepik) Province, Papua New Guin…
Adze Head Currency
Adze Head, date unknown
Bimin-Kuskusmin culture; Sandaun (West Sepik) Province, Papua New Guin…
Adze Head, date unknown Bimin-Kuskusmin culture; Sandaun (West Sepik) Province, Papua New Guinea Greenstone; 11 1/2 × 2 in. EL.2003.4.152 Loan Courtesy of Jon and Linda Walters

Adze Head Currency

ClassificationsTools and Equipment-adzes-adze heads
Made AtSandaun Province, Papua New Guinea
MediumGreenstone
Dimensions11 1/2 × 2 in. (29.2 × 5.1 cm)
Credit LineLoan Courtesy of Jon and Linda Walters
Object numberEL.2003.4.152
DescriptionPolished greenstone adze heads such as this one are evidence of the level of perfection of stone technology achieved by the people living deep within the interior of New Guinea, where the introduction of metal tools occurred relatively recently. These beautifully shaped and polished large river stone adzes are valued for their use as blades and are also traded as currency throughout the upper Sepik river region.
On View
Not on view