Giant Stone Statues
Second only to my fascination with the stoneworks of Ancient Egypt are the haunting stone statues of Easter Island, or, as the natives call it, Rapa Nui.
The largest Moai statue ever finished and put into place measures nearly 33 feet tall. An even larger statue still in the quarry would have stood nearly 70 feet tall.
Most people think of these statues as giant stone heads, but in actuality, the Moai statues have bodies as well. Another common misconception of the statues is that they are plain black stone. The finished Moai had insets of startling white coral for eyes, and were adorned with large simple headdresses of red stone.
Who Created the Moai Statues?
The natives of Rapa Nui made the moai starting around 1500 years ago
Rapa Nui was populated by people of Polynesian origins. It is not known whether these people intentionally went to Rapa Nui to form a colony, or if they were blown off course and marooned there. Based on ethnographic studies and DNA analysis, it is known that this group consisted of no more than 100 people and they arrived sometime around the year 318 of the common era.The period in which most of the Moai statues were carved and erected fell between the years 1000 and 1650 of the common era. The earliest known Moai was made nearly 500 years earlier.
Who Discovered the Moai Statues?
The first European to visit Rapa Nui was Dutch admiral Jacob Roggeveen
The first European to visit Rapa Nui was the Dutch admiral Jacob Roggeveen, who anchored off of the island on Easter Sunday in 1722. This is why the European name for Rapa Nui is Easter Island.Roggeveen had been searching for the Southern Continent (Antarctica), but had to turn north again because of ice. His exploration force consisted of three ships named the African Galley, the Eagles, and the Thienhoven.
Read more about the first contact between Europeans and the people of Rapa Nui, and about how European explorers stole several of the Moai statues.
Walk Among the Moai
This video really gives an idea of the scale of the statues
Easter Island Moai
Walking alone among the mo'ai at Rano Raraku, Easter Island in 1997. This short music video clip - featuring BT - is just a sample of my experience from the most amazing destination I have ever visited - Easter Island. Enjoy!
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curated content from YouTube
Geocaching Rapa Nui
The most remote geocache in the world can be found on Rapa Nui
According to the information at geocaching.com, the world's most remote cache is found on Rapa Nui. While I have not been there yet, the geocaching site indicates that the cache is fairly easy to find, but that the terrain it is located in is challenging.Located somewhere on the rim of a volcanic crater, the cache is also near a significant archaeological site.
The cache was placed by geocacher HaukiDog some time in 2002, making it one of the world's older caches. Geocaching is a very young sport!
I Made a Moai!
In my ceramics class, using slabs and raku firing
The clay was too heavy and moist to support the top-knot, so I had to take that part off. Also things got way out of hand by the time I got to the belly, which resulted in yet another cut and change of plans.
I might try to do it again someday, next time with thinner slabs which I'll allow to dry a bit more (truly 'leather-hard').
Here he is!
Books about Rapa Nui
Travel Poll
Have you been? Are you planning to go? Again?
Rapa Nui Links
Resources I've used to learn more about Rapa Nui
- Rapa Nui - Sacred Site
- This page is a detailed and well-researched article on the history of Rapa Nui.
- The Unmuseum - Easter Island
- The story of the crash of the civilization that carved the Moai status is a warning to all of Earth.
- Easter Island Statue (Moai) at Pacific Culture Gallery, Dunedin New Zealand
- Easter Island (also known as Rapa Nui) is the world's most remote inhabited island, found in the southern Pacific Ocean. You can take this rare opportunity to see the moai from Easter Island, in the Pacific Culture Galleries at Otago Museum.
Moai Statues to Buy
Amazon has a few intriguing Moai themed artworks that aren't tissue boxes
Easter Island Statue - Sm 4" tall
Although this statue is quite small, it appears to have the most accurate representation of the full sized Moai statues.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009) 
Rr-844 Deco-rep Easter Isl Lrg 7 Inches By 11 Inches Tall
This larger statue has a non-traditional smile which doesn't seem too overdone, but is more obvious than the slightly upturned lips of the Mona Lisa.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)
Aqua Ornament Resin Blue Ribbon - Blue Ribbon easter island statue
These two Moai heads also have a bit of a smirk, as well as being adorned with faux vegetation, giving them an aged look.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)
Make Your Own Moai
This free papercraft website has plans you can download and build
Canon 3d Papercraft has several different famous architectural sites available, including the Moai statues of Easter Island, Chile.Download the free .pdf files, print them out on your home printer, and then cut, fold, glue and assemble this set of three Moai statues.
Moai at Gaia's Oasis
Rapa Nui on Flickr
I've never been there, but I hope to go someday...
My only experience of the Moai stone statues of Rapa Nui are from the photographs of others. Someday, though, my own photos will show up here!
Moai, Ahu Tongariki,...
Moai, Ahu Tongariki,...
Fallen Moai, Easter...
Backsides of Moai, E...
Backsides of Moai, E...
Moai on eBay
Find an Easter Island statue of your own
The haunting and simple design of the Easter Island Moai statues make them a favorite for reinterpretation by many different artists.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Stunning Moai Statue Posters
These beautiful poster prints really capture the look of the Moai statues
Moai Statues at Ahu Nau Nau Platform, Tapati Festival, Rapa Nui, Easter Island, Chile Photographic Poster Print by Bill Bachmann, 24x18
This row of Moai has been restored with the top-knots replaced, all set up for the Tapati Festival.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)
Moai Statues, Tapati Festival, Ahu Tongariki Platform, Rapa Nui, Easter Island, Chile Photographic Poster Print by Bill Bachmann, 64x48
This is the largest poster, which at just over 5 feet across creates a dramatic vista.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)
Rapa Nui and Moai Stuff from CafePress
What are your thoughts on Rapa Nui?
Now that you've seen some of my thoughts about Rapa Nui, please tell me what you think!
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- Janusz Janusz Apr 18, 2009 @ 5:31 pm
- Fascinating lens! You did a wonderful job on your Moai :) Blessed by a Squid Angel.
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- Gyakusetsu90 Gyakusetsu90 Mar 3, 2009 @ 11:02 am
- Wow, Easter Island looks so incredible... maybe I will go there someday! Great lens, never knew about the eye insets or the headdresses. Five stars!
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- drifter0658 drifter0658 Feb 24, 2009 @ 9:04 am
- Great lens about a subject that has always intrigued me......5*****
And I want to extend a Thank You for your work as an Angel. Angels true blessings are that of mentoring and guidance..the most noble of all causes.
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- SaraMu SaraMu Dec 14, 2008 @ 10:25 pm
- Fascinating structures. Motivates me to make one of my own.
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- PastorKay PastorKay Dec 6, 2008 @ 7:23 pm
- I would love to someday get there. It looks so beautiful.
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