Aboriginal Pineapple Pandanus Head Battle Club

This Aboriginal club, carved from a single piece of dense hardwood, comes from the tribal groups of central Queensland, around the present-day Rockhampton region.

The head is of pineapple pandanus form, being similar in form to the fruit of a type of coastal palm in the area.

The long, tapering shaft is fluted along its entire length.

The handle-end has been slashed repeatedly to allow better grip. The handle-end has been sharpened, and the club end comes to a smooth point.

Related clubs are illustrated in Petty (2009).

There are some age-related splits here and there but all are stable. The club has a warm patina.

The club was acquired in the UK and almost certainly has been in the UK since colonial times.