Greenstne Carving Book

Greenstone Carving - Techniques and concepts in pounamu
Written by Len Gale

Greenstone, or pounamu, is a true emblem of New Zealand. Maori prized pounamu for its strength as well as its beauty, and fashioned it to make the most precious tools, weapons and ornaments. That esteem continues today, and for many people extends beyond possessing finished objects to working in the stone.

This book provides a reliable introduction to carving pounamu. Here is all that a carver needs to get going, from equipment and safety through to choosing stone, carving techniques and projects. Len Gale draws on his background as a craftsman and teacher to guide the reader through the background, creation and use of key Maori designs, assisted by detailed drawings and photographs.

The text is accompanied by detailed drawings and photos, including images of superb finished works from the Moko Pounamu studio, Otautahi/Christchurch.

Softcover 25cm x 18.5cm

83 Pages

First published in 1997
This edition published in 2022