Skinner Offers Rapa Nui Moai Sculpture and Other Important Artifacts

The Rapa Nui Indigenous Polynesian people make up a significant percentage of the population of Easter Island and mainland Chile. For most of their income and livelihood, the Rapa Nui depend on tourism, with the main attraction being their giant sculptures called moai. These sculptures resemble human figures and represent the living faces of ancestors. The upcoming American Indian and Tribal Art auction, presented by Skinner, will spotlight a 19th-century Rapa Nui male moai figure.

Other important Indigenous artifacts available in the event include a Northwest coast Chilkat blanket. Finger-woven in mountain goat wool and cedar bark warp strands, the blanket features a dyed abstract pattern. A painted wood spirit board or kwoi originating from Papua New Guinea in the late 19th or early 20th century is also available. To view the full catalog or place a bid, visit Skinner.