Oceania
Easter Island
Lizard Figure, Moko Miro
Wood, bone, obsidian
H. 15 in. (38.1 cm)
Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection

On Easter Island, lizards were believed to cause certain illnesses that were associated with death and could be cured only by a priest. These figures were worn around the neck and on belts at certain festivals and were hung or placed on each side of the doorway of a house to protect the inhabitants from intruders. Though lizard features dominate, this figure also has human and birdlike characteristics, though their significance is not understood.