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
The Continuity of Life Forms The Continuity of Life Forms The Continuity of Life Forms is a mosaic by Willard Martin, installed at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Oregon. "The Continuity of Life Forms" is a large mid-century modern mosaic and one of the earliest remaining works by local architect and artist Willard "Will" Martin, who also designed Pioneer Courthouse Square. It is made of 20 panels and measures approximately tall and wide. The work has been installed in two locations at the Oregon Zoo. According to the organization, "The Continuity of Life Forms" "[captures] a panoramic sense of history and being — the forces