An incredibly stunning Marsden Flower Jade Manaia Sculpture on a water worn polished Flower Jade stone . A definite favourite!
The Manaia is a mythological creature in Māori culture, and is a common motif in Māori carving and jewellery. The Manaia is usually depicted as having the head of a bird and the tail of a fish and the body of a man, though it is sometimes depicted as a bird, a serpent, or a human figure in profile. The Manaia is traditionally believed to be the messenger between the earthly world of mortals and the domain of the spirits, and its symbol is used as a guardian against evil.
This a Genuine West Coast Kahurangi Flower Jade from the Marsden, West Coast area.A highly translucent, light-ish green shade, free from dark spots and other flaws. One of the rarest varieties, held in high esteem by the Maori.The most prized Greenstone in New Zealand is flower
jade, Greenstone with pale green or ochre clouds of colour. This distinctive patterning and colouring comes from the outside rim or 'rind' of the greenstone boulders or stones where the surface has oxidised.
Hand Carved by Ross Crump
Size
Sculpture - 100mm tall x 54mm wide x 19mm thick
Stand and Tiki - 47mm tall x 100mm wide x 113mm long
