Page:Pounamu, notes on New Zealand greenstone (IA pounamunotesonne00robl).djvu/30

 been ground flat and sharpened to a cutting edge. The rest of the ornament had been but little interfered with, and still shewed the form of the body, arms and legs. It was evident that the owner or captor of the tiki had had more need for a cutting tool than for an ornament, while the piercings of the tiki thus altered would conveniently serve to aid the lashing of the tool to its helve. There is strong presumption that toki of the ordinary form were sometimes pierced with a view to facilitate the lashing of them to their helves.

Another kind of greenstone toki, of small size and thin in section, was the war-adze (Figure 5) to which the names toki pou tangata, toki honu pou and toki whawhao pou were given. It is said that this tool was sometimes used for fine wood-carving; but its normal use was ceremonial. It was carried by chiefs as a token of chieftainship either in the belt or in the hand when speech-making; sometimes it was used in battle as a convenient weapon to dispatch a fallen foe. Its handle was less than two feet in length, and was adorned with elaborate carving at both ends, the flax cord lashing of the blade being often ornamented with brightly coloured feathers or dog’s hair. A loop of cord which went through a hole at the butt end of the handle was passed round the wrist of the holder to save him from losing the precious token.