A beautiful Manaia hand crafted from a stunning piece of Marsden Flower Pounamu and mounted onto an exceptional water worn Kawakawa Pounamu pebble. A sculpture of this calibre is going to last for many generations, being passed to each new generation to care for and protect them.
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.
Sculpture - Marsden 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.
Base - Kawakawa - is the most common variety of Pounamu. it comes in many shades - from strong, rich green to dark green - and often has small dark flecks, which add to its character. Named after the leaf of the Kawakawa. It is the main type used in gem purposes.
Hand Carved by Ross Crump
Size Sculpture - 206mm tall x 97mm wide
Base - 48mm tall x 92mm wide x 127mm long
Overall height - 255mm
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.
