A Selection of Oceanic Art / OC-050500-03
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OC-050500-03

Pendant "palaoa"
Hawaiian Islands
Sperm whale tooth
Early 19th century
L: 4 in. (10.16 cm), W: 1.5 in. (3.81 cm)
Traditionally, high-ranking men and women wore hook pendants stranded on thick braided bundles of human hair as a sign of their status. When the supply of ivory increased through trade with American Whaling ships, the paloa changed substantially in size evolving into large, dramatically shaped pendants. Many nineteenth century examples are made of walrus ivory, however this pendant is of whale ivory.