Title: Inscribed Wooden Tablet | Smithsonian Institution URL Source: https://www.si.edu/object/inscribed-wooden-tablet:nmnhanthropology_8010183 Markdown Content: [](https://www.si.edu/object/inscribed-wooden-tablet:nmnhanthropology_8010183)[Skip to main content](https://www.si.edu/object/inscribed-wooden-tablet:nmnhanthropology_8010183#main-content)[Skip to main navigation](https://www.si.edu/object/inscribed-wooden-tablet:nmnhanthropology_8010183#main-navigation) [heart-solid My Visit](https://www.si.edu/myvisit)[user Log in](https://my.si.edu/login?utm_source=si.edu&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=si_login) [Donate](https://www.si.edu/object/inscribed-wooden-tablet:nmnhanthropology_8010183#FUNSLCUNRMB&s_src=Z0000PW&s_subsrc=2505--eg--oa-oef--web--si-edu--top-nav--app--app------donate-button--ow--) [![Image 1: Home](https://www.si.edu/sites/default/themes/siedu/logo.svg)Smithsonian Institution](https://www.si.edu/ "Home") [Donate](https://www.si.edu/object/inscribed-wooden-tablet:nmnhanthropology_8010183#FUNSLCUNRMB&s_src=Z0000PW&s_subsrc=2505--eg--oa-oef--web--si-edu--top-nav--app--app------donate-button--ow--) Menu Search Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu. * Visit chevron-down * [Overview](https://www.si.edu/visit) * [Museums and Zoo](https://www.si.edu/visit/museums) * [Entry and Guidelines](https://www.si.edu/visit/guidelines) * [Museum Maps](https://www.si.edu/visit/maps) * [Dine and Shop](https://www.si.edu/visit/dine-shop) * [Accessibility](https://www.si.edu/visit/accessibility) * [Visiting with Kids](https://www.si.edu/visit/kids) * [Group Visits](https://www.si.edu/visit/groups) * What's On chevron-down * [Overview](https://www.si.edu/whats-on) * [Exhibitions](https://www.si.edu/exhibitions) * [Online Events](https://www.si.edu/events/online) * [All Events](https://www.si.edu/events) * [IMAX & Planetarium](https://www.si.edu/theaters) * Explore chevron-down * [Overview](https://www.si.edu/explore) * [Topics](https://www.si.edu/explore/topics) * [Collections](https://www.si.edu/collections) * [Stories](https://www.si.edu/stories) * [Podcasts](https://www.si.edu/explore/podcasts) * [Research Resources](https://www.si.edu/research-resources) * Learn chevron-down * [Overview](https://www.si.edu/learn) * [For Educators](https://www.si.edu/educators) * [For Students](https://www.si.edu/learn/students) * [For Caregivers](https://www.si.edu/learn/parents-and-caregivers) * [For Academics](https://www.si.edu/learn/academics) * [For Lifelong Learners](https://www.si.edu/learn/lifelong-learners) * Support Us chevron-down * [Overview](https://www.si.edu/support) * [Become a Member](https://www.si.edu/support/membership?form=FUNAFEYEZQU&s_src=Z0000AW&s_subsrc=2505--eg--oa-oef--web--si-edu--top-nav--app--acq------become-member--ow--) * [Renew Membership](https://www.si.edu/support/membership?form=FUNAFEYEZQU&s_src=Z0000RW&s_subsrc=2505--eg--oa-oef--web--si-edu--top-nav--app--rew------renew-membership--ow--) * [Make a Gift](https://www.si.edu/support/even-more-ways-give?form=FUNSLCUNRMB&s_src=Z0000PW&s_subsrc=2505--eg--oa-oef--web--si-edu--top-nav--app--app------make-gift--ow--) * [Volunteer](https://www.si.edu/volunteer) * About chevron-down * [Overview](https://www.si.edu/about) * [Our Organization](https://www.si.edu/about/organization) * [Our Leadership](https://www.si.edu/about/leadership) * [Reports and Plans](https://www.si.edu/about/reports) * [Newsdesk](https://www.si.edu/newsdesk) Expand Search search close Search [heart-solid My Visit](https://www.si.edu/myvisit)[user Log in](https://my.si.edu/login?utm_source=si.edu&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=si_login) [](https://www.si.edu/object/inscribed-wooden-tablet:nmnhanthropology_8010183) # Inscribed Wooden Tablet [Natural History Museum](https://www.si.edu/about/natural-history-museum) ![Image 2](https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?id=ark:/65665/m342e32a5ddf8645f4962610088decdec5&max_w=800) Click to open image viewer. 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J. THOMSON, PAYMASTER OF THE U.S. NAVY SHIP 'MOHICAN' IN EASTER ISLAND, DECEMBER 1886. TABLET WAS PURCHASED FROM MR. A. A. SALMON [a.k.a. Tati Salmon], A EUROPEAN SETTLER AND LONG-TIME RESIDENT OF EASTER ISLAND. THOMSON STATES TABLET IS MADE OF NATIVE TOROMIRO WOOD. TABLET IS DISCUSSED AND ILLUSTRATED IN THE USNM ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1889 (PP. 514, 520, 537). TRANSFERRED FROM ETHNOLOGY TO ARCHEOLOGY ON MAY 2, 1933. FORMERLY ON EXHIBIT NMNH HALL 8, PACIFIC CULTURES HALL, CASE/UNIT 4 "EASTER ISLAND" FROM 1962 TO 2005 (EXCEPT WHEN OUT ON LOAN TO METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART 1984-1985). 3 PLASTER CASTS [A129773-1] MADE SHOWING BOTH REVERSE AND OBVERSE SIDES. This rongorongo tablet or board is sometimes referred to as the Atua Mata Riri tablet. It is also known as the Small Washington tablet. It is illus. Fig. 48, p. 76, in "Splendid Isolation: Art of Easter Island" by Eric Kjellgren, Metropolitan Museum of Art/Yale University Press, 2001, and identified there as an inscribed tablet (kohau rongorongo). From card for 129773-4: "Engraved with shark's tooth. Transferred to Div. Archeology May 2, 1933." From second card formerly in Ethnology card file: "No. 129,773: Illus. in USNM AR, 1889; Pl. 38 and 39 [after p. 520]. Translation on p. 520; note on p. 537. Description of acquisition on Easter Island p. 514. Cast made and sent to Musee d' Ethnographic [sic, should be Musee d' Ethnographie, Paris], May, 1933. Loaned to Metropolitan Museum of Art 8-1-84. Returned from Metropolitan Museum of Art 10-4-1985." See Kaeppler, Adrienne. 2001. "A Photograph is Worth A Thousand Words" in Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Easter Island and the Pacific. Christopher M. Stevenson, et. al, eds. See Horley, Paul. 2021. Rongorongo: Inscribed Objects from Rapa Nui. Viña del Mar, Chile: Rapanui Press; in particular see pp. 299-308. ### Record Last Modified 17 Nov 2023 ### Specimen Count 1 ### Collector Maj. William J. Thomson ### Donor Name Maj. William J. Thomson ### Expedition Mohican Survey of Easter Island ### Vessel U.S.S. Mohican ### Culture Rapanui (Easter Islander) ### Accession Date 19 Apr 1890 ### Collection Date 18 Dec 1886 to 31 Dec 1886 ### Object Type Tablet ### Place Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Chile, Polynesia ### Topic Archaeology ### Length - Object 24.1 cm ### Weight - Object 187.5 g ### Metadata Usage CC0 ### Globally Unique ID (GUID) [http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/31d646267-9fdf-40e2-a8ca-abbde4f975bc](http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/31d646267-9fdf-40e2-a8ca-abbde4f975bc) ### Record ID nmnhanthropology_8010183 [arrow-up Back to top](https://www.si.edu/object/inscribed-wooden-tablet:nmnhanthropology_8010183#top) [![Image 31: Home](https://www.si.edu/themes/custom/si_basetheme_drupal/images/logo-secondary-white.svg)](https://www.si.edu/ "Home") Sign up for Smithsonian e-news arrow-right * [Facebook facebook](https://www.facebook.com/smithsonian) * [Instagram instagram](https://instagram.com/smithsonian) * [LinkedIn linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/smithsonian-institution) * [YouTube youtube](https://www.youtube.com/c/smithsonian) * * * * [Contact Us](https://www.si.edu/contacts) * [Get Involved](https://www.si.edu/getinvolved) * [Shop Online](https://www.si.edu/shop) * [Job Opportunities](https://www.si.edu/ohr/jobs) * [Equal Opportunity](https://www.si.edu/oeo) * [Inspector General](https://oig.si.edu/) * [Records Requests](https://www.si.edu/ogc/records-requests) * [Host Your Event](https://www.si.edu/specialevents) * [Press Room](https://www.si.edu/newsdesk) * [Privacy](https://www.si.edu/privacy) * [Terms of Use](https://www.si.edu/termsofuse) Close ![Image 34](https://bat.bing.com/action/0?ti=97204487&Ver=2&mid=1ca01589-c5e7-46f4-b5af-cae3e50feb69&bo=1&sid=50d7541091d311f1b60d1b4541a45fa9&vid=50d7c95091d311f1bd0557a46a5d7388&vids=1&msclkid=N&pi=918639831&lg=en-US&sw=1280&sh=1280&sc=24&tl=Inscribed%20Wooden%20Tablet%20%7C%20Smithsonian%20Institution&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.edu%2Fobject%2Finscribed-wooden-tablet%3Anmnhanthropology_8010183&r=<=765&evt=pageLoad&sv=2&cdb=AQAQ&rn=333158)