Megatama / Hei Tiki - 0743SG

Stacy was carving at our Tuku Iho Exhibition in Japan when a customer suggested that he look into 'Magatama' pendants & artefacts which he did so by visiting the Tokyo Museum. The magatama is an ancient form dating back to Austronesia. They have been found in Japan & Korea. Usually made from various stones and bones including Jade, the pendant was one of three important items ceremoniously bestowed upon each successive Emperor.

Being such an ancient artefact dating back to pre-history, the original meaning has been lost, there is conjecture as to what it represents. Some of the various ideas are; an animal claw, a bird beak or talon, an embryo or fetus, and even possibly a depiction of a human soul. Stacy was intrigued by this ancient form and decided to carve one out of Pounamu (NZ Jade), possibly the only one in existence? Polynesians originated in Austronesia, is this possibly an ancient form that we carved into Polynesia? Stacy see parallels with this form in the Hawaiian Lei Niho Palãoa and some of our archaic kākano period niho forms.

The other aspect Stacy found intriguing was the interpretation that it is an embryo form or stage of fetal development just like the Hei Tiki, hence the title of this work, Magatama/ Hei Tiki.

Material: Pounamu (Putiputi)

Measurements: 57mm x 30mm x 16mm