Ladles were manufactured and used throughout the Admiralty Islands. Their primary function was as an implement with which to serve food. If guests were entertained at festivities, they might be given the ladle as a gift. The shapes of the carved handles vary extensively. Unfortunately, little is known about the significance of the patterns and figurative representations. An unusual feature of this particular ladle is the fine adornment of the coconut half depicting vegetable motifs: two coconut palms and individual leaves. The entire ladle has been dyed with a pitchblack pigment.