Nephrite "hei-tiki" (neck pendant). These are believed to have their own "mana", are handed down as valuable heirlooms, and often given as gifts to seal important agreements. It has also been used for a range of tools such as adzes, as Māori had no metal tools before European contact. Commonly called "greenstone", jade jewellery in Māori designs is widely popular with tourists. Stone is often imported from Canada, China and Siberia, and Ngai Tahu runs a pounamu certification scheme to verify the authenticity of New Zealand stone. Nephrite Nephrite is a variety of the calcium, magnesium, and iron-rich amphibole minerals tremolite
Ornamental animal Ornamental animal An ornamental animal is an animal kept for display or curiosity, often in a park. A wide range of mammals, birds and fish have been kept as ornamental animals. Ornamental animals have often formed the basis of introduced populations, sometimes with negative ecological effects, but a history of being kept as ornamental animals has also preserved breeds, types and even species which have become rare or extinct elsewhere. This article does not cover animals kept in zoos, wildfowl collections or aquaria. Ornamental animals have been kept for many centuries in several cultures. Some ornamental animals have escaped from