Moai Kavakava, 18th century, 18 3/4 x 5 in. ( x cm), Wood, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), 18th century, Moai kavakava, which means 'image with ribs,' is the most common of the wood sculptures on Rapa Nui. These gaunt male figures, with their protruding bones and skull-like heads, probably represent the spirits of the dead. Little is known about their precise functions, but it is likely that they were worn around the neck during certain festivals. The extended earlobes, typical of this type of sculpture, are shown with cylindrical ear ornaments representing the actual shark vertebra

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Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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