Page:Pounamu, notes on New Zealand greenstone (IA pounamunotesonne00robl).djvu/53

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GREENSTONE ORNAMENTS.
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found; an example is illustrated in Figure 13. It may be stated as a general rule that the larger ornaments were hung from the neck, while those of smaller size were used as ear-drops.

Favourite pendants, like famous implements and weapons, were distinguished by having names given to them, and some, of course, are very ancient. One mentioned by Mr. James Cowan

A carved greenstone pendantin a crescent shape with a hole at the top to put a flax cord through.
Figure 27

is said to have been fashioned from a piece of the greenstone taken by Ngahue to Hawaiki and brought back to New Zealand in the Arawa canoe when the islands were settled at the immigration. It was jealously preserved until quite recent times when it was unfortunately lost by its wearer, a woman of the Heuheu family, in the waters of Lake Taupo. Its name was Kaukaumatua.

Now and again worked pieces of greenstone, ancient work of the Maori, are discovered. Polack’s prediction, made over half