A white Māori whalebone hei-tiki (pendant) with shell eyes and carved, tilted head.

Hei-tiki are carved human figures worn around the neck, suspended either vertically or horizontally. They are most commonly made from nephrite but examples can also be found in bone, wood and whale ivory, sometimes with haliotis shell eyes. The name 'tiki' is possibly connected to Tiki, the first man created by Tane in Māori mythology. Although their origin is unclear, hei-tiki have been variously understood as fertility symbols, representations of the human embryo and spirit figures. They were traditionally exchanged as gifts or inherited by successive generations, giving them status as ancestral treasures (taonga).