Maori Greenstone Jewellery, Pendants, Bangles
Because Jade is so hard, it was used to make tools and weapons in the olden days. Today, the finest quality stone is used to fashion jewellery and ornaments. The colour varies greatly and is a matter of preference.
Greenstone Greenstone is a term specific to New Zealand to describe Jade. There are two types of Jade, jadeite and nephrite. Nephrite is the only type to occur in New Zealand. Jade comes in a variety of colors, green being the most valued. Jade / Greenstone is a hard and tough stone.
Pounamu is a Maori word which is used to describe jade / greenstone and also bowenite. The Maori classified pounamu according to colour and named many varieties.
Early Maori discovered Pounamu's ability to retain a hard, sharp edge making it ideal as cutting tools. Maori made adzes (toki) and chisels (whao) from nephrite jade, they fitted the jade to wooden handles and lashed them together using flax cords.
Greenstone will benefit from the addition of light, scented oil and if it is not being worn very regularly, is best stored in a felt or leather pouch. A very light smear of oil in the pouch will enhance the carved pounamu with a beautiful warm gloss.
Greenstone was normally suspended from thin leather or plaited flax. It was traditional for a piece to be worn level with the cavity where the two collarbones meet above the chest.
