A very rare Hei-Tiki from the Maori people in New Zealand, with a quit large size measuring approx 6 cm in height. Age estimated early 1900 Provenance: US tribal art dealer. In Mori culture, tiki was the name given to the first created man, and hei means suspended. Carved from the precious nephrite or greenstone known as pounamu, the hei-tiki was worn round the neck close to the throat. Embodying the spirits of ancestors, it was a powerful mark of the status of the wearer. Traditional hei tiki are most commonly made from pounamu, a type of nephrite jade native to New Zealand, known for its durability and hardness. Pounamu, with a hardness value of 6.5 on the Mohs scale, is significantly harder than iron, which measures less than 6. Nephrite is found exclusively in New Zealand, particularly in two riverbeds on the west coast of the South Island, making it a rare and highly prized material within Mori culture. Pounamu is regarded not just as valuable due to its rarity but also because it is believed to possess mana (spiritual power) and connects the wearer to ancestral spirits. Estimates suggest that creating a single hei tiki could take anywhere from 500 to 1,000 hours of work, depending on the size and the carver’s skill level. This means that making a hei tiki could take several months of labor, and a typical size hei tiki might take up to five months to complete if a craftsman worked 40 hours per week. The significant time investment in making each piece highlights the profound value that Mori people placed on these ornaments.


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