The inside story of A’a
This is a sculpture of the Pacific god A’a. In preparation for display, curators undertook a number of scientific tests to try and better understand how, when and why A’a was made.
When removing tiny wood samples from the figure, curators found a small red feather caught on a splinter inside the hollow interior. The feather was examined by experts from the Natural History Museum in London, who identified it as coming from a Kuhl’s lorikeet – an endangered species of bird found on Rimatara, a neighbouring island to Rurutu, where A’a was made. Red feathers were considered sacred in Polynesia, so the presence of this feather proves that whatever was stored inside A’a was of the highest cultural significance.
Examining the wood samples using a scanning electron microscope revealed that A’a was made from sandalwood. This was a surprise as sandalwood is not native to Rurutu and because oral histories from the island state that A’a was made from the wood of the ‘perfume flower tree’ (Fagraea berteriana). It is most likely that the sandalwood was traded in from another island to be carved on Rurutu. The oil found in sandalwood is a good insect deterrent, so that may be why it was selected to carve an important figure.
Finally, the wood samples were sent to a laboratory to be radiocarbon dated. The results dated the wood to the period AD 1505–1645 with a higher probability of it being towards the beginning of that period. This is much earlier than had been anticipated and proves that A’a was already a treasured ancient artefact when given to missionaries in 1821. The ramifications of these results are now being considered by curators, researchers and contacts in Rurutu. A new chapter in the already extraordinary life of A’a has begun…
Encounter the enigmatic A’a in The Asahi Shimbun Display Containing the divine: a sculpture of the Pacific god A’a, on display in Room 3 from 17 March to 30 May 2016, supported by The Asahi Shimbun. Standing casket figure of the god A’a. Rurutu, Austral Islands, French Polynesia, 16th–17th century.