Illegal Easter Island artifacts for sale in Miami?

From the BBC this morning:

The Chilean Government has launched an investigation after it discovered that a Miami art gallery is selling a collection of Easter Island artefacts which it claims are up to 1,000 years old.

Easter Island is world famous for its giant stone statues that are considered archaeological treasures.

The Chilean authorities were shocked when they found that two statue heads, both standing more than one metre high, were on sale in a Miami art gallery.

The Chilean Committee of National Monuments said they had not given permission for the pieces - which are on display with 12 other artefacts - to leave the country, much less be sold.

A government archaeologist told the BBC that the artefacts had either left the country illegally or were fakes.

UPDATE: This article reports the suspicion that the sculptures are newly carved from genuine Easter Island stone.

Posted by David on January 7, 2003 10:31 AM