Traveling through New Zealand, one can’t help noticing the abundance of craft items made from green stone (every second person you meet wears a greenstone amulet on his neck, sometimes even without knowing it’s meaning). The raw green stone can often be seen while walking on the river mouths, and it is especially abundant in Greenstone National Park. In this article I will tell about the nature of green stone (also named Jade, Greenstone, Nephrite).

Nephrite is a greenish colored rock. Its shade depends on the concentration different additional minerals in it. Nephrite can sometimes also be yellow, light blue, and black. Nephrite was the first material to be used by ancient people of central Asia, Europe, America, New Zealand, and Australia, in making working tools and weapons. Thanks to their strength (nephrite is two times stronger than steel! ) products that were made from nephrite could withstand the most powerful blows having only a minor dents. In addition greenstone was in abundance: it is relatively common mineral often found in nature in large blocks. The main development of mining established in China, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Zimbabwe and the Urals. The largest nephrite rocks found until today are blocks weighting 143 tons and 264 tons. Archeologists found items made of nephrite dating way back to the Bronze Age. The most skilled creations of ancient artists from greenstone are giant Buddha statue (6 meters in height, made from one solid piece of milk-colored nephrite), Tamerlane tomb (also made from solid piece of black nephrite), and sarcophagus of the Russian king Alexander the third (which made of one solid piece of Siberian nephrite.
Since ancient times nephrite was used to make work tools and weapons such as spearheads and hammers. It was also used in creating amulets, god figures, and jewelry. In antiquity it was considered that greenstone possesses many medical properties: it helps to get rid of atherosclerosis, insults and eye illnesses, problems of a gastroenteritis, brings calm, protects from maleficence, cures kidney illnesses. By the way in Greek “nephros” means kidney.
Nephrite is considered to be the stone of life, power, and longevity. In the eastern beliefs nephrite has the following features: softness, justice, knowledge, moderation, courage and purity. In cultures of the various countries, such as China, Mexico, and Russia, nephrite was very precious and used as a monetary unit; from it cult subjects were made. Nephrite was being placed in graves and symbolized immortality and protection in afterlife.

In my next article I will tell about the nephrite in Maori culture, history, and heritage about the different shapes and amulets that Maori made from it.

Maori Jade Hei Matau

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