Pou Hakanononga

In 1934-1935, a major ethnographic and archaeological expedition to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) was organised by the Musée de l’Homme in Paris and the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels. In addition to the important scientific data recorded, the mission also led to the donation to Belgium of a statue (moai) called Pou Hakanononga, which is now known to be one of the oldest produced on the island. This book tells the story of this astonishing statue, which has been on display at the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels since 1935, and is the first in a new series PLUS – Masterpieces of the Royal Museums of Art and History.

Nicolas Cauwe, a Doctor in Art History and Archaeology from the ULiège, is Acting Head of Department and Curator of the Prehistoric and Oceanic collections at the Royal Museums of Art and History. He is also a guest lecturer at the UCLouvain, a full member of the Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences, and a corresponding member of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut in Bonn. Between 1999 and 2020, he carried out some 20 archaeological missions on Easter Island.