Zemanek-Münster

Pole club "bowai" ·  Fidji Islands · ID: 3051973

sold EUR 1,500
Provenance
Alexander Kubetz, Munich, Germany
Size
L: 104 cm
L: 40.9 inch

Description

hard wood,

These massive clubs made of extremely heavy wood were designed to smash skulls with one blow (“head-breaker” club). They were favored by Fijian and Tongan warriors.

From the earliest reports, Fiji was characterized as having endemic warfare, the causes of which ranged from raiding for sacrificial victims to disputes over chiefly precedence, women and land. Fiji also produced the greatest variety of weapons including clubs, of any Oceanic culture.


The object Pole club “bowai” with the object ID 3051973 was last part of the auction Auction 104 at April 12, 2025 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 165 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,500.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about Oceanian art.


Comparing literature

Kaeppler, Adrienne, Polynesia, Honolulu 2010, p. 240, ill. 125 ff.


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