What is it?
This divine sculpture was made on Rurutu, one of the Austral Islands in Polynesia. When it was given to British missionaries in 1821, its name was recorded as A’a. A’a was said to have been named after the ancestor who founded the island of Rurutu and who, after death, had been deified.
The sculpture is 117cm tall and covered in 30 small figures that represent various features, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth of A’a. The sculpture also has a large internal cavity accessed via a detachable panel on its back. Recent wood analysis has shown A’a was carved from sandalwood. As sandalwood is not endemic to Rurutu, it must have been traded in from a neighbouring island. The wood’s scent, which acts as an insect repellent, may have been factor in its selection.
Where was it found, and when?
In 1821, islanders from Rurutu made the decision to convert to Christianity, and arranged for A’a to be sailed approximately 350 miles north to the island of Ra’iatea, where British missionaries from the London Missionary Society had established a base. A’a was surrendered as evidence of the islanders’ conversion.
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