Moai • Rapa Nui • Easter Island

Moai, or the stone-head statues of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), were quarried on the island at the Ranu Raraku volcano...many partially carved moai remain embbeded in the rock as if "production" suddenly stopped. There are moai with a "key" of the last rock attaching the carving to the volcano. After finally detaching, the Polynesian island inhabitants lowered the moai down the side of the volcano to complete more of the carving on the back. The moai were eventually moved to ceremonial sites throughout the island...there are many speculated methods of transportation stretching from wild ideas of extra-terrestrial interventions to more realistic approaches of 'A' frames and wooded sleds. Although moai are erect at some ceremonial sites, strife on Rapa Nui left many of the stone heads toppled and broken.