item details
NameMako (shark tooth ear pendant)
ProductionUnknown; stonemason; 1500-1850; New Zealand
Classificationpendants, ear ornaments
Materialsserpentine
Materials SummaryManufactured by hand using stone, sandstone, and water.
Techniqueslapidary
DimensionsOverall: 43mm (height), 16mm (length), 13mm (depth), 8.04g (weight)
Registration NumberWE001131
Credit lineBequest of Kenneth Athol Webster, 1969
Overview
These shark tooth earrings, referred to as mako after the mako shark (Isurus glaucus), are actually imitations made from koko-tangiwai (bowenite serpentine).
Mako sharks
Mako sharks were highly respected as powerful and dominant predators, qualities admired in Māori society. Both genuine and imitation mako shark teeth were highly prized as forms of personal adornment. They were usually worn suspended from the ear, and often passed from generation to generation.