A beautiful Manaia handcrafted from a fabulous piece of Pakohe (Argillite) stone. The amazing dark stone creates a moody intense piece that's just simply gorgeous.
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.
Pakohe/Argillite - Known to Māori as pakohe, and to geologists as metamorphosed indurated mudstone, argillite is particularly associated with the Nelson-Marlborough region in New Zealand. It is found on Rangitoto (D'Urville Island), along the Whangamoa mineral belt, and in the upper reaches of the Maitai, Wairoa and Motueka Rivers. Māori valued Argillite’s strength, hardness and ability to hold a sharpened edge – which made it ideal for making tools (especially Adzes).
Carved by Ross Crump
Size 57mm long x 47mm wide
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.
