item details
NameKuru (ear pendant)
ProductionUnknown; stonemason; 1500-1800
Classificationpendants, pectorals, ear ornaments
Materialsinanga (stone)
Materials SummaryCut, shaped and polished by hand using stone, sandstone and water.
Techniqueslapidary
DimensionsOverall: 14mm (width), 55mm (length), 10mm (depth), 13.6g (weight)
Registration NumberME014967
Credit lineAcquisition details/history unknown. Found in collection 1994
Overview
A very fine, old, kuru pounamu (nephrite jade earring/ ear ornament) made from a beautiful inanga variety pounamu. The original suspension hole appears to have worn through, and another re-drilled below it. The second suspension hole is an excellent example of pre-European stone-tipped drilling.
Kuru pounamu, sometimes referred to as whakakai, are often treasured ancestral heirlooms. They were bestowed with personal names, and many well known kuru are known to have long tribal histories. Many were gifted to early European settlers, usually government officials and military leaders, as tokens of enduring friendship.