These stone and shell adze blades were traditionally used for wood carving. They are made of a highly prized material, chloromelanite, which can be found in the Cycloop Mountains. The extremely hard veined jade-like stones vary in colour according to the surrounding minerals, from pale to dark green, and to almost black. The blades would have been mounted in wood hafts and were so effective that they were able to carve even the ironwood supporting posts of the chiefs’ dwellings.