FACE-EFFIGY: STONE, FRENCH MARQUESAS ISLANDS, POLYNESIA, 19th Century
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FACE-EFFIGY: STONE, FRENCH MARQUESAS ISLANDS, POLYNESIA, 19th Century:
$179.00
FACE-EFFIGY: STONE, FRENCH MARQUESAS ISLANDS, POLYNESIA, 19th Century
Length:6 ¼”
Width:3 ½”
Thick:2 ¾”
Weight:15.5 oz
The Marquesas Islands are a group ofvolcanic islands in French Polynesia. Located some 850 miles east of Tahiti, they are astonishingly isolated.
On the Easternpart of Hiva Oa island south from Puama´u village, in the early 19thcentury, a visiting New England whaler brieflydocked there taking on drinking water.
One of the scouts found andbrought back this strange, carved-stone Tiki face. It’s been in the New Bedford, Massachusettsfamily for generations until it and various other artifacts were acquired.
The stone-face effigy showsa gap-mouthed Tiki, with bulging eyes and “boxer” nose. Chips, dings and cuts are evident on thisastonishing piece. The large, open-hole mouth strongly indicates aceremonial-style purpose to this very early, prehistoric artifact. Unfortunately, the meaning of this peculiar stone effigy isunknown, but the tiki is acharacteristic element of Polynesian culture.
The open hole-mouth, however, has remarkable similarity to the extremelyrare ringed poi-pounders found on Hawaii.
FACE-EFFIGY: STONE, FRENCH MARQUESAS ISLANDS, POLYNESIA, 19th Century:
$179.00