Nephrite jade was considered more valuable than gold or silver. Nephrite jade in New Zealand is known as "pounamu" in the Māori language, and is highly valued, playing an important role in Māori culture. It is considered a "taonga", or treasure, and therefore protected under the Treaty of Waitangi. The exploitation of it is restricted to Ngai Tahu and closely monitored. The South Island of New Zealand is "Te Wai Pounamu" in Māori — "The [land of] Greenstone Water" — because that is where it occurs. Weapons and ornaments are made of it; in particular the "mere" (short club), and the
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