item details
NameKuru pounamu (nephrite pendant)
ProductionUnknown; stonemason; 1500-1850
Classificationpendants, ear ornaments
Materialsnephrite
Materials SummaryManufactured by hand using stone, sandstone, and water.
Techniqueslapidary
DimensionsOverall: 8mm (width), 95mm (height), 11mm (length), 14g (weight)
Registration NumberME015053
Credit linePurchased 1989
Overview
This kuru pounamu (ear pendant) is made from koko-tangiwai (bowenite serpentine), a much softer stone than pounamu (New Zealand greenstone).
Treasured heirlooms
Kuru pounamu are treasured ancestral heirlooms. They were often bestowed with personal names. Some famous kuru are known to have long tribal histories. Many were gifted by Māori to early European settlers, government officials, and military leaders as tokens of enduring friendship.