A basalt statue known as Hoa Hakananai'a (probably 'Stolen' or 'hidden friend').
This statue, representing an ancestral figure, was possibly first displayed in the open air. It was later moved into a stone house at Orongo, the center of a birdman cult. Low-relief designs carved on the back are associated with this cult. The statue seems to have been used in both contexts to express ideas about leadership and authority.
Donated by H M Queen Victoria.
Find out more about the Easter Island Statue from the British Museum Compass web site.