Pacific Arts

By mellycarr99
  • Apr 19, 700

    Nan Madol. Pohnpei, Micronesia. Saudeleur Dynasty. c. 700-1600 C.E. Basalt boulders and prismatic columns.

    Nan Madol. Pohnpei, Micronesia. Saudeleur Dynasty. c. 700-1600 C.E. Basalt boulders and prismatic columns.
    This was the ritual and ceremonial center for the ruling chiefs of the Saudeleur dynasty.The islets were constructed by placing large rocks and fill atop submerged coral reefs to form raised platforms, which supported elaborate residential and ceremonial complexes.The complexes were built primarily from columnar basalt.Was used by Saudeleur chiefs to organize and control potential rivals by requiring them to live in the city rather than in their home districts.
  • Period: Apr 19, 700 to

    Pacific Arts

    "Hiapo (tapa)." Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
    "Navigation Chart (rebbelib)." British Museum. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aoa/n/navigation_chart_rebbelib.aspx.
    "Gottfried Lindauer, Tamati Waka Nene (article)." Khan Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
  • Apr 19, 1100

    Moai on platform (ahu). Rapa Nui (Easter Island). c. 1100-1600 C.E. Volcanic tuff figures on basalt base

    Moai on platform (ahu). Rapa Nui (Easter Island). c. 1100-1600 C.E. Volcanic tuff figures on basalt base
    The moai were probably carved to commemorate important ancestors who were believed to be descended directly from the godsand were made from around 1000 C.E. until the second half of the seventeenth century. Over a few hundred years the inhabitants of this remote island quarried, carved and erected around 887 moai. They were placed on platforms along the coast, where they faced inland to keep watch over the local community.

  • Hiapo (tapa). Niue. c. 1850-1900 C.E. Tapa or bark cloth, freehand painting.

    Hiapo (tapa). Niue. c. 1850-1900 C.E. Tapa or bark cloth, freehand painting.
    This work is made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree. The Niuens decorated their hiapo with freehand painting that is similar to the Samoan style. The subject matter they usually depicted were abstract forms and plant forms. Tapa was ceremonially displayed on special occasions, such as birthdays and weddings. In sacred contexts, tapa was used to wrap images of deities. The Niueans created naturalistic motifs and were the first Polynesians to introduce depictions of human figures.

  • Tamati Waka Nene. Gottfried Lindauer. 1890 C.E. Oil on canvas.

    Tamati Waka Nene. Gottfried Lindauer. 1890 C.E. Oil on canvas.
    The work is a portrait of a Maori man, Tamati Waka Nene, a leader of Ngati Hao, with the traditional tattoos of his culture, ta moko. Nene wears a kahu kiwi, a fine cloak covered in kiwi feathers, and an earring of greenstone or pounamu. He is holding a hand weapon known as a tewhatewha, which has feathers adorning its blade and a finely carved hand grip with an abalone or paua eye. All of these mark him as man of mana or personal efficacy and status.

  • Navigation chart. Marshall Islands, Micronesia. 19th to early 20th century C.E. Wood and fiber.

    Navigation chart. Marshall Islands, Micronesia. 19th to early 20th century C.E. Wood and fiber.
    In order to determine a system of navigation, the islanders created charts that marked the locations of the islands as well as the swell and wave patterns. The horizontal and vertical sticks are the supports, while the diagonal and curved ones symbolize the wave swells. The small shells represented the location of the islands. Some navigation charts were so detailed they are thought to be only readable by the person who made it.