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Whale harpoon

Image Whale harpoon

TLF ID R1772

This is a harpoon used in the New Zealand whaling industry between 1830 and 1840. It is 229.5 cm long and 7.5 cm wide at its widest part, is made from iron and wood and has a rope attached. It was designed to be thrown from a whaleboat.

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Educational details

Educational value
  • This asset indicates that the whaling industry was operating between 1830 and 1840 in New Zealand waters - whaling was New Zealand's first significant industry and an important point of early contact between Mäori and Europeans.
  • It demonstrates the type of technology used in the whaling industry in Australia and New Zealand in the mid-1800s - the rope attached to the harpoon enabled the boat to be towed behind the struck whale until it was exhausted and then the boat pulled in closer, the whale's heart or lungs were pieced with a lance and the whale was towed to shore.
  • It suggests the dangerous nature of whaling techniques in the mid-1800s - the boat could be towed at high speed by the whale and the skilled crew had to prevent the boat from capsizing.
  • It suggests that the harpooner had to be skilled and accurate - the best location for a secure hit was behind the left flipper; a badly placed harpoon would not attach properly to the whale.
Topics Tools Whale hunting

Other details

Contributors
  • Contributor
  • Name: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
  • Organization: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
  • Description: Content provider
  • URL: http://www.tepapa.govt.nz
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
  • Organization: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
  • Name: Guard family
  • Organization: Guard family
  • Publisher
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organization: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Description: Publisher
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Colour independence
  • Device independence
  • Hearing independence
Learning Resource Type
  • Image
Rights
  • © Education Services Australia Ltd and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 2013, except where indicated under Acknowledgements