Origins of Aotea Stone

Jess Deacon • February 8, 2021
All of the pieces that we have for sale in our shop are striking in their own ways, but there’s something rather special about pieces carved from Aotea stone. We have several pieces showcasing this rare and precious stone.  Aotea stone is sometimes called bluestone because - yep, you guessed it - it has a distinctive blue hue to it that makes it look quite different to the shades and hues of pounamu. 
Its origins as a semi-precious stone are similar to pounamu in the way that it was formed - under tremendous pressure and extreme heat many many years ago - but its makeup of different types of stone is what makes it unique. 

A combination of kyanite (blue), fuchsite (green) and quartz (white) give this stone its turquoise appearance, with bands of iridescence and glitter from the mica in the quartz. These features are near impossible to capture in photographs.

Aotea stone is regarded as a stone that carries a feminine energy. This is for a couple of reasons. It’s a softer stone than pounamu and that’s evident when it’s held and felt in one’s fingers. It’s true that the feel of the stone is starkly different to that of pounamu which is harder and intrinsically carries a masculine and powerful energy. 

The stone’s characteristics speak for this feminine energy too. According to gemologists and those who have an understanding of precious gemstones’ properties, kyanite stimulates intuition and personal truth. Fuchsite is said to support a sense of self-worth. And quartz is said to absorb and regulate energy. For those in tune with stones’ spiritual and healing powers, this is a pretty special one. 

Aotea stone is only found in one area of South Westland - the Makaawhio (Jacobs) River, where local iwi Ngati Mahaki ki Makaawhio have cared for, gathered and traded it for generations. As with pounamu, it is regarded as the manifestation of the goddess Waitaiki who was chased into the sea and cast into stone. Unlike pounamu, which is found in various locations, Aotea has only ever been found from this one river. It’s a much more precious and rare natural resource than pounamu, though pounamu has its own very special qualities of its own. 


All stones and all pieces carry their own unique story of connection to the land - most of which will be locked away within the stone’s energy until the end of time. That in itself is a mysterious and enticing reason to own a piece of this unique stone. Take a look at our current collection in our shop.

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