THE MAORI MERE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21319, 12 November 1934, Page 10

THE MAORI MERE

♦ MANUFACTURE FROM GREENSTONE EXHIBIT AT THE MUSEUM The manufacture of a Maori mere from a piece of greenstone is illustrated in this week's exhibit at the museum. This stone is one of the hardest and toughest in existence, and in its manufacture into weapons, tools, etc., the Maori had to use softer materials or implements made out of the stone itself. When he wanted to make mere out of a piece of rock, the stoneworker marked out roughly with his eye the form of the object desired, and either pounded linos rudely corresponding to this shape or cut grooves with other pieces of stone by rubbing backwards and fcrwarav with a motion like sawing. When a sufficiently deep incision was cut the block was broken along it, and then reduced to its proper form, by rubbing on sandstone or other stone. It was then polished. The hole was made through the head of the mere with a drill with stone points, and this was never cylindrical in shape, as it would be if it were made with a steel drill. Of course, the form of the hole can be imitated in a modern-made mere. The time occupied in making such a weapon must have been considerable, but hurry was not necessary. The exhibit includes rough greenstone with grooves made by pounding, also a specimen with parallel grooves made by rubbing, stone rubbers and rasps, and a drill with stone points.