COMPARISON:
NORTHWEST COAST & NEW ZEALAND CLUBS
NORTHWEST COAST U.S. AND NEW ZEALAND
RETURN TO PAGE 1
COPYRIGHT DECEMBER 31, 2013 PETER A. BOSTROM

      Writers often comment about the similarity of the stone clubs used by the Maori of New Zealand to those found in the northwest coastal area of the U.S. and Canada. Although most of the northwest coast clubs are not similar in design, enough examples have been found with perforated handles and wide blades to offer an argument of similarity. What is most interesting is that both cultural areas were using stone clubs at the same time from the 17th century into the 19th centuries. The Maori began using them very late compared to those used in the northwest coast. Fighting clubs, made only of stone, are so rare in the world it's hard to believe the two locations were not in contact with each other. But separate invention of similar tool types and technology is not unknown. The northwest coast stone clubs are more bulkier than the Maori clubs which are ground and polished to thin and sharp edged blades.
    These four clubs illustrate some of the similarities writers refer to when comparing New Zealand stone clubs to northwest coast stone clubs. The three stone clubs on the left are from sites in south central Washington and the stone club on the right is a typical example from New Zealand. The illustrated clubs in the center are from drawings that were computer altered with a stone textured surface. The club on the left is perforated on the end of the handle with a conically drilled hole and in that respect it's similar to the New Zealand club on the right. Another similarity are the wide blades on the two northwest coast clubs in the center. They compare in outline fairly well to the New Zealand club. What sets the two types of clubs apart, is the New Zealand clubs are much more highly refined with polished surfaces, thin blades, sharp edges and some were made from jadite. The northwest coast clubs do not have sharp edges or thin blades and most of them do not have holes on the ends of the handles. The surface finishes are also not nearly so well smoothed and polished as New Zealand stone clubs.

Comparison of 3 northwest coast clubs to 1 New Zealand club.

 RECENT LISTINGS  HOME  ORDERING