BASALT (IDENTIFIED AS OLIVINE WITH LARGE BASALT CONTENT) POI POUNDER WITH A SINGLE HANDLE IN THE FORM OF A STYLIZED HEAD. APPARENTLY A UNIQUE PIECE. HAS ORIGINAL PEALE TAG. PUBLICATION: ILUSTRATED IN THE "NARRATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES EXPLORING EXPEDITION," VOL. IV, P. 51, CHARLES WILKES, 1845. ACCORDING TO PIILANI, MINNIE AND WILLIAM KAAWALOA, 1985, USED TO "MIX AND GRIND THE MEDICINAL HERBS - NOT FOR POI - CALLED A POHAKU LA'AU LAPA'AU. IT RESEMBLES A TONGUE AND THE FACE RESEMBLES THAT OF A MOO (LIZARD)." THERE IS A CAST OF THIS PIECE ON EXHIBIT IN THE HARVARD PEABODY MUSEUM. EXHIBITED MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 1985-86. EXHIBITED SITES "MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS," 1987-89.
Object was on display in National Museum of Natural History exhibit "Na Mea Makamae o Hawai'i - Hawaiian Treasures", 2004-2005.
