Pouaka whakairo (treasure chest)

A large carved treasure box of the type genericly referred to as 'pouaka whakairo', or carved box. This type of treasure box represents a distinct third variety of carved box quite separate from the waka huia and papa hou. It is charactersied by flat, straight, edges, and tends to be square or rectangular in shape. Their outer decorative carving is usually a combination of rauponga and whakarare patterns. Five sub-categories of this type of carved box have recently been identified. The earliest recorded European descriptions of this type of box are from 1831-1837, suggesting that it may be a less common traditional form, rather than one influenced or introduced by European settlers, as previously believed.