Documentation of the Sacred Precinct of Mata Ngarau ('˜Orongo, Easter Island) in the Late 19th-Early 20th Century

Authors

  • Georgia Lee The Easter Island Foundation
  • Paul Horley Chernivtsi National University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15286/jps.121.4.393-406

Abstract

A study of various early photographs of the petroglyphs at 'Orongo taken by several 19th century visitors to Easter Island enabled us to identify some missing carved stones from the ceremonial site, Mata Ngarau. After comparing photographs from the different expeditions, we discovered that a large carved boulder was missing - apparently lost to the sea somewhere between 1904 and 1914. In addition, further study also showed that considerable parts of rocks forming the courtyard at Mata Ngarau did not survive up to the time of the Norwegian Archaeological Expedition in 1955. However, using the existing photographs of the now missing boulders, we were able to study a drawing of the petroglyphs that once covered them.

Author Biographies

Georgia Lee, The Easter Island Foundation

Georgia Lee is the leading specialist in the field of Easter Island rock art. She received her PhD in Archaeology from the University of California, Los Angles, based upon her petroglyph studies in Easter Island. She also is a founding member of the Easter Island Foundation, a non-profit organisation promoting conservation of cultural heritage of the Island, which grants scholarships to outstanding students of Rapanui descent. She is author of many books and articles about Easter Island, Hawai'i and, more generally, eastern Polynesia, and is also a co-editor of the Rapa Nui Journal.

Paul Horley, Chernivtsi National University

Paul Horley received his PhD from Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine. During his research stay in Mexico ten years ago, he visited Easter Island and began his studies of its history and culture. He authored several journal papers mainly focused on the rongorongo script, rock art research and 3D computer modelling of Rapa Nui archaeological sites.

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Published

2013-01-18

Issue

Vol. 121 No. 4 (2012)

Section

Shorter Communications

License

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