Moai, Archaeological site in Easter Island, Chile
These monumental figures carved from volcanic rock stand scattered across the slopes of Rano Raraku volcano, where 397 statues remain today. Most were shaped directly from the soft tuff stone of the quarry between the 13th and 16th centuries, with many left unfinished at various stages of carving.
Carving began in the 13th century when the Rapa Nui people started shaping these figures at the quarry and moving them across the island with ropes and wooden sledges. Production stopped around 1600 as resources became scarce and social changes disrupted the island's traditional systems.
Local guides often share stories about how each statue once represented a specific ancestor, creating a direct connection between families and the stone figures. Visitors today can witness how the Rapa Nui community continues to honor these ancestors through ceremonies held near the platforms where the statues stand.
Travelers can walk among the statues at several sites around the island, including Ahu Tongariki where fifteen restored figures stand in a single row along the coast. Early morning or late afternoon offers softer light and calmer conditions for exploring the outdoor sites comfortably.
Many statues originally had eyes made from white coral with pupils of black obsidian, though most of these have disappeared over time. Some unfinished figures still embedded in the quarry walls reveal exactly how carvers worked from front to back, leaving the spine attached until the final stage.
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