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Paua Shell

Paua (haliotis iris) is a species of abalone found only in the waters around New Zealand. The fish is a large sea snail which clings to rocks and feeds on seaweed. Its shell is highly regarded by Maori as a taonga (treasure) and was widely used for jewellery and enhancing traditional carvings. Because of the iridescence of the shell, it was popular for the eyes of carved ancestors.

Today, paua (pronounced pah wah), is still a treasured resource and on this website you will see that the brilliant colours of the shell have been used to create stunning pieces of jewellery, as well as other items. I have worked mainly with the laminate form of the shell, some of which has been infused with red or green coloured dyes to add even more diversity to this spectacular shell.