An impressive, very large and important whale bone hei tiki.…
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An impressive, very large and important whale bone hei tiki. Together with a nephrite kuru pendant from the Ngai Wai tribe which literally translates 'The People of the Water'. The Ngai Wai controlled the islands of the north-East Coast of the North Island, New Zealand, from Great Barrier Island northwards. The whale bone hei tiki is tilted to the left side. It has a large round face with heart-shaped mouth and large eye-sockets (one with nephrite inset), elongated arms with both hands set on thighs and 'Ngati Wai' carved to back. Length 16.5 cm. pre-European mid-green nephrite kuru pendant with rounded distal end, dull polish. Length 7 cm

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  • Pre-European - As applied to New Zealand Maori artifacts, the artifact dates to before Captain Cook (1760s and earlier)

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