




Headrest inlaid with whale ivory. The bar of the head rest is cut from a cylindrical piece of noko noko wood (Casuarina equisetifolia). The four feet are formed by two arched pieces of wood terminating in small concave conical circular feet, two of which have been lost, and a third is significantly damaged. Each of these arches is fixed to the bar through to piercings underneath, which are tied together using coconut fibre cordage to create a hidden fixing. The headrest bears a number of pieces of smoked whale ivory inlay; in the end of each bar there is a multiple pointed star. On the upper side of each arched leg there are two isosceles triangles pointing outwards. In the ends of each leg there are resin filled recesses in the shape of daveniburau, priestly kava dishes that were used for consulting the pre- Christian gods.