Pounamu, or greenstone, was unlike anything else Maori had come across before. It's hardness meant that it was difficult to break. It's toughness meant that it was almost impossible to flake. 

Pounamu turned out to be the perfect raw material for tools, weapons and ornaments. It was like a stone made out of metal.

Author: Bruce Mahalski

Publisher: Giltedge Publishing

Format: Paperback (24 pages)