worship, were thus excavated and gradually disappeared. In Raivavae, for example, out of sixty-two marae present at the beginning of the 20th century, only twenty-three remain visible today. The best known work of art stolen from the Austral Islands is certainly the sculpture of the God A'a, discovered in Rurutu and currently exhibited at the British Museum in London. There is a reproduction on the island. It is composed of thirty small figures sculpted on its body; its back had a cavity that could accommodate twenty-four other small sculptures which were however destroyed in 1822. The Austral Islands are also known for their large vertical drums or "pahu" often decorated with human figures that often welcomed Christian explorers or missionaries. Numerous other figures carved in wood or even in stone for the marae, carved wooden fly swatters generally with anthropomorphic figures, sometimes even with ivory handles, large decorated spoons as well as highly decorated bowls have been found in the archipelago. Overall, these works are finely decorated with great complexity and often with anthropomorphic figures. Other objects used to dress the people or personalities of the islands have been discovered, such as elaborate hairstyles as well as large crowns and necklaces of hair or feathers with shell or ivory pendants. See also French overseas departments and territories Administrative divisions of France Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans List of islands of France Politics of French Polynesia References External links Official site Archives, municipalities with maps