What did the Polynesians use shark teeth for?
Polynesian clubs were carved out of Koa wood differing in style. Some clubs were inlaid with shell or bone for decoration. In some cases like the Hawaiian Lei o Mano or the shark tooth club, bone, rock, shell or shark teeth were used in place of metal for the purpose of tearing or piercing flesh.
Where can I find a shark tooth weapon?
A Gilbert Islands shark tooth weapon in the collections of Chicago’s Field Museum. (Image credit: Drew J, Philipp C, Westneat MW (2013) Shark Tooth Weapons from the 19th Century Reflect Shifting Baselines in Central Pacific Predator Assemblies. PLOS ONE 8 (4): e59855. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0059855.)
What kind of shark had the most teeth?
Using field guides and the museum’s collections of shark jaws, the researchers identified teeth from eight species of shark on 122 weapons and teeth collections from the Gilbert Islands. The most common of those species was the silvertip shark ( C. albimarginatus ), whose teeth graced 34 weapons.
What did the Gilbert Islands have in common with sharks?
Sharks have long been a major part of the Gilbert Islands’ culture, as the animals played a role in Kiribati myths and rituals, Drew told LiveScience. The first European visitors to the islands in the late 1700s noted the native inhabitants’ craftsmanship of weapons made of shark teeth.
Polynesian clubs were carved out of Koa wood differing in style. Some clubs were inlaid with shell or bone for decoration. In some cases like the Hawaiian Lei o Mano or the shark tooth club, bone, rock, shell or shark teeth were used in place of metal for the purpose of tearing or piercing flesh.
A Gilbert Islands shark tooth weapon in the collections of Chicago’s Field Museum. (Image credit: Drew J, Philipp C, Westneat MW (2013) Shark Tooth Weapons from the 19th Century Reflect Shifting Baselines in Central Pacific Predator Assemblies. PLOS ONE 8 (4): e59855. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0059855.)
Using field guides and the museum’s collections of shark jaws, the researchers identified teeth from eight species of shark on 122 weapons and teeth collections from the Gilbert Islands. The most common of those species was the silvertip shark ( C. albimarginatus ), whose teeth graced 34 weapons.
Sharks have long been a major part of the Gilbert Islands’ culture, as the animals played a role in Kiribati myths and rituals, Drew told LiveScience. The first European visitors to the islands in the late 1700s noted the native inhabitants’ craftsmanship of weapons made of shark teeth.
