A extremely fine food pounder or phou carved of a single piece of massive coral rock. The flattened top of the pounder is decorated with four large raised equally spaced nipples. The extremely weathered patina is from exposure to wind swept sand – these heir loom pounders were often buried with their owners and have surfaced, over time through the erosion of the tombs at the seaward grave-site of the atoll.

Caroline Islands, Micronesia. 19th/20th century. 17 x 12.5 Ø cm. Ref.: Rosenthal, David: LES PILONS DES ILES DU PACIFIC in TRIBAL ARTS, LE MONDE DE L'ART TRIBAL. N° 11, Année III, Automne-Hiver 1996. Treide, Barbara: IN DEN WEITEN DES PAZIFIK MIKRONESIEN. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, Wiesbaden, 1997.