Indonesian Iron Paddle

Long, slim blade tapers to a point above a handle of tidy rings.

This wooden paddle with iron fittings is from Timor, Indonesia, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood & iron. Paddles of carved wood are among the oldest tools of island travel, and their blades and grips are often shaped to suit local habits of use. Narrow leaf-shaped head with a central ridge widens slightly and then narrows into a long shaft. The lower shaft is turned into small collars and ends in a flat spatula-like foot. The dark metal shows a grey, lightly pitted surface. It is 6 inches wide and 75 high.

Lean, long and not at all interested in compromise.