Polynesian Kuri dog carving or pendant, 14th or 15th century. Canterbury Museum[1195×1482]

Carved from kānuka wood in the 14th or 15th century , this small wooden figure of a kurī dog was found at Moncks Cave on the Banks Peninsula near Christ Church in New Zealand . The carving depicts the dog’s upwardly-curved tail – a characteristic of the species.

This ancient taonga is a rare example of a carved wooden ornament.