Club Head

ClassificationsArms and Armor-clubs-club heads

Made AtPapua New Guinea

MediumStone

Dimensions3 1/8 × 4 1/4 × 4 1/2 in. (7.9 × 10.8 × 11.4 cm)

Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Object number2014.26.2

DescriptionStone club weapons were used only by a very few groups in Papua New Guinea. The culture origin of this object is unknown. One group particularly well-known for their use and craftsmanship of stone clubs is the Angu, or Kukukukus. They were experts in the manufacture of ball, disc, star and pineapple shaped club heads. Clubs would be decorated with stripes of ochre and yellow clay as well as carvings. Men typically carried clubs on their person in a spot that was convenient for easy and quick retrieval. There is evidence that other groups of people such as the Kiwai of the Gulf Province used stone clubs. On Kiwai, the word for stone club is gabagaba.

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