People have used jade for at least 100,000 years. The earliest objects made from jade were tools. Jade is a very hard material and is used as a tool because it is extremely tough and breaks to form sharp edges.

Most jade does not have a color and translucence that is expected in a gemstone. However, when early people found these special pieces of jade, they were often inspired to craft them into a special object.

“Toughness” is the ability of a material to resist fracturing when subjected to stress. “Hardness” is the ability of a material to resist abrasion. Early toolmakers took advantage of these properties of jade and formed it into cutting tools and weapons. It was used to make axes, projectile points, knives, scrapers, and other sharp objects for cutting.

New Zealand Greenstone: These boulders, harvested from glacial outwash on the South Island of New Zealand, were originally called “Pounamu” by the local Maori people, then “greenstone” (a literal translation) by European explorers. They are actually nephrite jade. They were used by the Maori for making tools and weapons. Pieces with an attractive color or pattern were used to make ornaments and fashioned into pendants.