A wonderful Manaia hand carved from a gorgeous piece of Marsden Flower Pounamu with a beautiful spiral Koru finish at the tail of the Guardian. The colours and patterns in this stunning New Zealand Jade are beautiful. A marvellous taonga
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.
Marsden Putiputi (Flower)
Pounamu from the Marsden, West Coast area. The centre of this stone is 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 Māori. The most prized Greenstone in New Zealand is Flower Jade, Greenstone with pale green or ochre clouds of colour. This distinctive patterning and colouring come from the outside rim or 'rind' of the greenstone boulders or stones where the surface has oxidised.
Carved by Ross Crump
Size 62mm long x 40mm wide x 8mm thick
This will be the exact piece you will receive in the photos. There may be a slight degree of colour variation based on different computer or device screen resolutions that you are viewing from.
