{"product_id":"vintage-new-zealand-manaia-pounamu-nephrite-jade-pendant","title":"Vintage New Zealand manaia pounamu nephrite jade pendant","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eHere we have a beautiful vintage New Zealand manaia pounamu pendant, carved from a\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003edeep emerald nephrite jade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe mania is a spiritual guardian which acts as a psychopomp between the spirit and earthly realms, and is usually depicted with the head of a bird, body of a man and tail of a fish. In Maori culture this symbolises protection and balance, guarding and guiding the wearer through life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003ePounamu, which refers to New Zealand nephrite and sometimes bowenite naturally occurring only on the South Island, has been prized for centuries in Maori culture. Known as a taonga (treasure), pounamu is revered as a sacred material and items carved from it such as weapons, jewellery and talismans are passed down as family heirlooms, only given on important occasions.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThose pieces carried by chieftains to denote their authority were considered to carry such potent mana (spiritual power and\/or prestige\/status) that they were tribal heirlooms, given only on major occasions such as the sealing of peace agreements. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003ePounamu remains highly prized today; in 2011, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key presented then US President Barack Obama with a ceremonial pounamu \u003ci\u003ewahaika\u003c\/i\u003e (a traditional Māori weapon) carved by NZ artist Aden Hoglund.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003ePrice marked at $300 AUD.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eMeasurements: 15.5 grams approximate weight. 6cm pendant length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eExcellent vintage condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"cacheantiquessydney","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42440218902626,"sku":null,"price":300.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0556\/5693\/9618\/files\/DE5ADF27-0937-404C-8895-9F79E737BA05.heic?v=1767851117","url":"https:\/\/cacheantiques.com\/products\/vintage-new-zealand-manaia-pounamu-nephrite-jade-pendant","provider":"cacheantiquessydney","version":"1.0","type":"link"}