Quiver, piha, of bamboo, from the Society Islands (probably Tahiti); part of the Forster collection (part of Forster 41; 1886.1.1183)

Quiver made from a length of bamboo cane. The upper end is open, the lower is closed by a natural inter-node. There are three rows of pyroengraved figures near the open end of the quiver. These consist of a row of three half circles with serrated edges, which may represent pearl shells, a rectangle and four triangles with forked tops (food pounders? stylized human figures?) and three rectangles. The stopper is made from hardwood, and a hole is drilled on the underside to allow attachment to a plaited coconut fibre cord. The cord ran down inside the quiver, emerging from a hole approximately 250 mm from the top. The cord was knotted, so that the stopper was attached to the quiver, and could be pulled into place by pulling on the cord. A further length of plaited coconut fibre is wound around the quiver, able to move freely; this may have been part of the cord used to secure the stopper

• Museum database entry.