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Stone Vessels
- University of Hawai'i Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
We saw several trees of the dooe dooe, so useful at Otaheite, as bearing the oily nuts which are stuck upon a kind of skewer and burnt as candles. Our people saw them used, in the same manner, at Oneeheo. James Cook, Resolution commander (in Hawai‘i 1778–9 during third voyage) 80 STONE VESSELS [54.224.52.210] Project MUSE (2024-03-30 06:26 GMT) 14cmH BPBM 6005 7.5cmH 21cmW 16.5cmL BPBM 9339 Lamps Stone Vessels Oil lamps / poho kukui, poho pohaku , kukui pohaku Undecorated stone vessels in a wide variety of shapes were carved for use as mortars, lamps, dye cups, and salt pans. Unfortunately, most of these have little documentation accompanying them, so they must tell their own story. Those identified as lamps usually have soot in their depressions. Residues of medicines, ‘inamona, dyes, or bait found in the wells of some vessels help to identify them as mortars. Salt pans, for drying and grinding salt are distinctively shallow. The remaining types are identified according to their similarities to identified vessels or according to their last known use or information from donors. Stone vessels having face or body shapes are so rare that their authenticity and age cannot be verified with any degree of certainty. Lamps generally range in height from 4 to 28 cm with most between 10 and 13 cm. The cup is said to have acted as a support for the end of a coconut leaflet midrib strung with roasted and shelled kukui nut meats that were lit one by one. When used as an oil lamp, a single or multiple wick of twisted tapa was set in oil rendered from kukui or kamani nuts, pork fat, shark or fish livers, or whale oil. A small secondary indentation at the bottom of the hollow could have been used to hold the last bit of oil. Because these lamps were not found in early archeological sites, require a relatively large amount of oil, and are absent from early descriptions of lighting (all of which describe incessantly tending the burning nuts, which were entirely consumed within two minutes), it would appear that the lamps were most likely a nineteenth-century development for use with whale oil. William Brigham describes stone lamp use in outlying districts through 1865. Links to the Past 83 Double depression. 13cmH BPBM 9340 Contains soot. 10.4cmH BPBM 4332 Contains soot. 7.6cmH BPBM 4334 10cmD HAA 2431 Made from poi pounder base. Double depression. 5.8cmH BPBM 1198 Cavity on top and bottom. 13.5cmH BPBM 1207 Lamps Double depression. ~18cmD 6.4cmH Tulman 6-003 Double depression. 19cmD 12cmH privateG Double depression. 10cmD 5.5cmH privateG [54.224.52.210] Project MUSE (2024-03-30 06:26 GMT) 84 Stone Vessels 19cmH BPBM 4340 Lamps Contains soot. 18.3cmH BPBM 1191 21cmH BPBM 7690 Double top depression and outside depression for propping kukui on sticks. Hawai‘i Is. 12.7cmH BPBM 1200 6.5cmH BPBM 4338 Contains soot. Hawai‘i Is. 15cmH BPBM 1186 Ha‘ikū, Maui 16.2cmH BPBM 1202 Links to the Past 85 25.9cmH BPBM 1182 Lamps Depressions on both ends. Double top depression. 18cmD 17.8cmH BPBM 1184 Depressions on both ends. Double top depression. 9cmH BPBM 9144 [54.224.52.210] Project MUSE (2024-03-30 06:26 GMT) 86 Stone Vessels Found at Kulaokahu‘a, O‘ahu. 16.5cm BPBM 1232 Lamps Said to have been owned by Kamehameha I. 10.8 cmH Burke 1993-13/49 9.5cmH Berlin VI 8702 9.5cm rim Berlin VI 8705 Perforated shoulder. Kaua‘i 15cmH BPBM 10767 Links to the Past 87 Mortar with red powder in depression. Hawai‘i Is. 14.5cmH BPBM 9712 Lamp. 11.5cmH PR 1901.43.25 left side Kaua‘i 15.2cmH 22cm maxD CAS 0458-0333 back view [54.224.52.210] Project MUSE (2024-03-30 06:26 GMT) Stone Vessels 39.4cmH BPBM 1222 Red powder in depression. 18cmH BrM Oc1910,1226.2 16.3cmH BrM Oc1910,1226.3 20.5cmH BPBM B7138 Kaua‘i 16cmH privateG Mortars 88 Links to the Past 89 4.2mH Kaua‘i privateG private coll. 4mH privateG Cups used for magic or tattoo ink Mortars Red powder in depression. 10cmW QESP 231 8.5cmD Dundee 1926-608 7.5cmW QESP 225 Kaua‘i 29.4cmH 21cmD BPBM 1225 Maui 13.2cmH 28cmD BPBM B1201 16.6cmD CAS458-291 13.8cmH 17.2cmD BPBM 10630 Labelled lamp but...