Artefacts

Make your choice from:


The carving pendants which Matariki offers you are all hand-carved by New Zealand artists. You can make a choice from the following materials:


The carving pendants Matariki offers you are genuine hand crafted New Zealand and Pacific Bone carving, Jade carving, Paua and Mother of Pearl shell carving in its many forms, from the very traditional Maori carving styles to the more contemporary designs for gifts and jewelry. Each piece is hand crafted by New Zealand artists so even if following the same design, no two pieces will ever be exactly the same. Bone carvings (cow bone) have a very special feel about them, unlike anything else you will ever experience. Their milky white appearance and soft flowing lines are just the start. They are soft and warm to the touch yet the finish is like polished glass, they seem to blend with your body and become a part of you, especially when worn as a pendent against your skin. Over a period of time bone carvings absorb oils from your skin and change colour to a very light honey gold. The Maori believe this to be the carving taking on some of your spirituality or essence and thus truly becoming a part of the wearer.
In former days whale bone was used. Nowadays this is forbidden and cow bone is used and this is also an efficient way to use everything from the animal which is also used for the meat which in its way is a true Maori tradition.

Greenstone carvings

Greenstone is a term specific to New Zealand to describe Jade. There are two types of Jade, jadeite and nephrite. Nephrite is the only type to occur in New Zealand. Jade comes in a variety of colors, green being the most valued. Jade / Greenstone is a hard and tough stone.

Blackfoot Paua (Haliotis Iris) carvings.

The Blackfoot Paua is a type of Abalone shellfish, native to New Zealand and sourced mainly from its remote southern waters. New Zealand Maori regard Paua as a magical gift from the sea that holds decision-making energies, increases intuition, sensitivity and imagination!
Paua is a beautiful rainbow coloured shell which like pearl changes as the carving is turned. It is spectacular in the vibrancy and richness of its colour. Paua shell is often used as inlays in silver or bone carvings.

Often as eyes in the Manaia or Hei tiki or decorations in other bonecarvings. Or as eyes in the larger woodcarvings. See also button Art / Carving.

Pacific Pearl shell, or Mother-of-Pearl carvings

Mother of Pearl is a true treasure of the deep and is absolutely stunning when polished and carved. It has layers of gold or black through the silver/white pearl which seem to shift and swirl around as the carvings are turned
Pacific Pearl comes in gold lipped or black lipped varieties which often reach 25 cm. or more in diameter and close to 2,5 cm. thick. Pearl is almost as hard as jade so is a wonderful long lasting material to intricate carvings.
The dark species is also called Black Pacific Pearl.