Whalebone chest ornament

As a result of warfare with Fiji, Tongan warriors fashioned whalebone chest ornaments as a form of armour to repel Fijian weapons. They were also used as a symbol of status. From the late 18th century up to the 19th century, Fijian chiefs adopted a similar object of prestige made from ivory and pearlshell called Civavonovono and Civatabua. This is an extremely rare Tongan example, fashioned from one piece of ivory.