SECOND FRAGMENT STONE : BIRD PETROGLIPH- EASTERN ISLAND Start Price USD 899.00 Current Price USD 899.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, November 29, 2008 End Time Monday, December 29, 2008 Location Rio de Janeiro See more about 'SECOND FRAGMENT STONE : BIRD PETROGLIPH- EASTERN ISLAND' Description Item # 39 Name of the Item Exceptional fragment of sculptured stone from EASTERN ISLAND Provenance EASTERN ISLAND Materials Redish stone Short Description An extraordinary fragment of sculptured redish stone showing a bird figure.   Petroglyphs are pictures carved into rock, and Easter Island has one of the richest collections in all Polynesia. Around 1,000 sites with more than 4,000 petroglyphs are catalogued. Designs and images were carved out of rock for a variety of reasons: to create totems, to mark territory or to memorialize a person or event. There are distinct variations around the island in terms of the frequency of particular themes among petroglyphs, with a concentration of Birdmen at Orongo. Other subjects include sea turtles, Komari (vulvas) and Makemake, the chief god of the Tangata manu or Birdman cult. Petroglyphs are also common in the Marquesas islands. The history of Easter Island is rich and controversial. Its inhabitants have endured famines, epidemics, civil war, slave raids and colonialism, and the crash of their ecosystem; their population has declined precipitously more than once. They have left a cultural legacy that has brought them fame out of all proportion to their numbers. Contemporary to the arrival of the first settlers of Hawaii, 300-400 CE was published as a date for initial settlement of Easter Island. Although some scholars argue for initial settlement of 700-800 CE, there is an on-going study by archaeologists Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo that states: “Radiocarbon dates for the earliest stratigraphic layers at Anakena, Easter Island, and analysis of previous radiocarbon dates imply that the island was colonized late, about 1200 CE. Significant ecological impacts and major cultural investments in monumental architecture and statuary thus began soon after initial settlement.” For unknown reasons, a coup by military leaders called matatoa had brought a new cult based around a previously unexceptional god Makemake. The cult of the birdman (Rapanui: tangata manu) was largely to blame for the island's misery of the late 18th and 19th centuries. With the island's ecosystem fading, destruction of crops quickly resulted in famine, sickness and death. European accounts from 1722 and 1770 still saw only standing statues, but by Cook's visit in 1774 many were reported toppled. The huri mo'ai - the "statue-toppling" - continued into the 1830s as a part of fierce internecine wars. By 1838 the only standing Moai were on the slopes of Rano Raraku and Hoa Hakananai'a at Orongo. The first recorded European contact with the island was on April 5 (Easter Sunday) 1722 when Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen visited for a week and estimated there were 2,000 to 3,000 inhabitants on the island. The next foreign visitors (on November 15, 1770) were two Spanish ships, San Lorenzo and Santa Rosalia. They reported the island as largely uncultivated, with a seashore lined with stone statues. Four years later, in 1774, British explorer James Cook visited Easter Island, he reported the statues as being neglected with some having fallen down. In 1825, the British ship, HMS Blossom, visited and reported no standing statues. Easter Island was approached many times during the 19th century, but by now the islanders had become openly hostile towards any attempt to land, and very little new information was reported before the 1860s. Highlights Rare item withy petrogliphs incised Condition As it is and shown in picture. We would say: very good but we can see a large crack in one of the sides. But in a perfect and stable condition considering it is a fragment. Size H. 6 inches (15 cm) W.  5 inches (12 cm) T. 2 1/2 inches ( 6 cm) Features Irregular piece Date Unknown Origin of the item Private Collection in RJ. Found in Mata Ngata at Orongo Village, acquired in Santiago and brought to RJ  in 1987-8.           Business Information History/background Every item offered by MAT-AC (Mouseîon Antiques Trading & Ashraf Coins) is unconditionally guaranteed to be Genuine and Authentic. We are located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where we have a small shop. From 1996 we started to work as Antique Dealers and we have travelled many times to places related to History and Archaeology, looking for interesting items to sell and pieces for our own collection. From 2002 we work with Archaeological Tours and we travel constantly abroad looking for other items. Also, we collect archaeological artefacts and art works for more than 25 years and part of this collection will be displayed in the Mankind Museum in Rio de Janeiro, which will be inaugurated soon. Payment policy We accept payments through PayPal, Mail order or Bank transfer for Citibank account. All payments are required until 5 days after the end of auction. Shipping information   Shipping WORLDWIDE => Buyer pays shipping costs depending on buyer's requests. Some items can be sent free. Combined Shipping => Multiple items can be combined for a single low shipping cost. Insurance => Optional insurance. Registered Mail => If you would like registered Mail, please let me know as soon as you win the item. Not registered Mail is sent with buyer's risk. Note => For countries like China, Turkey, all Eastern Europe & Central and South America we recommend to send all items with registered Mail for your security. Note 2 => Parcels and Orders to Italy are subject to a high insurance always. Insurance We strongly recommend doing Insurance for all items sent abroad. For some expensive and rare items, we do insurance even if the Buyer opts for not doing, and offer it as a COURTESY. Otherwise, it is at buyer’s risk and we have no responsibility for damaging or losing the items. Return policy All illustrations are of the actual item offered here. The authenticity of all pieces is fully guaranteed and comes with our gallery Certificate of Authenticity. If the object does not fit the description; just let us know within 10 days after receiving the object. You send the item back in the same conditions and we will return the price you paid (shipping excluded).We don’t accept damaged items back. We will answer your questions as soon as possible. Please write to us. Travels to places of Archaeological significance Also, we organise special tours to places of archaeological and historical significance in travels designed as Courses of Archaeology in loco. With pleasure, we help people to purchase items in places as Damascus, Bucharest, Cusco and other odd places. Then, not only you can visit the place, but you can be assisted to buy good and interesting items.   New Items and Special Collections We are listing items several times a week. We have a big collection of African & Oceanic Primitive Art under our responsibility and we are available to give information upon request. If someone is interest, we can offer the item on eBay. We have a good list of customers and sellers in Brazil and abroad. If you have a special thing in mind, don’t hesitate in asking to us. Please write to: pradodemello@hotmail.com   Place a Bid!