Representative of a guardian spirit of Earth, Sea and Sky, the manaia (whose Maori meaning is seahorse) is a form that always bears some form of symbolism representing a creature native to each of those worlds. The most common combination, as in this piece, is the hand of man (Earth), the tail of a fish or eel (Sea) and the head of a bird (Sky). This manaia is carved from a bright blue-green jade found in the South Westland field many long years ago, and showcases remarkable translucency for its size and thickness.
 
Measuring in at a whopping 139mm long and 55mm wide, this pendant sports a 10mm thickness while remaining translucent enough to glow throughout when placed in front of a light source. Though large, it's comfortable in form and light enough in weight for its wearer to easily forget that they're wearing it. This is an absolute cracker of a piece guaranteed to draw the eye and appreciative comments besides, and would serve as a fabulous gift and the kind of family heirloom that will be appreciated for generations to come.