I’ll put photos of the various moai (statues) to be seen round the island without too much history and facts.
The moais were built between 1400 and 1650 A.D. by the islanders.There are about 1000 statues, some up to 86 tons tons in weight and 10 metres in height, though average is around half of that. 95% of the moais were carved from the volcano Rano Raraku. This location was chosen because the material is compressed volcanic ash and was easy to carve, which was necessary as only stone tools were used.
Moai statues were built to honour chiefs or other important people who had died. They were placed on rectangular stone platforms which were tombs for the people that the statues represented. The moais were made with different faces since they were intended to keep the appearance of the person it represented.
There was one group of carvers from which the statues were bought. The buying tribe would pay with whatever they could. Examples of trade items would be sweet potatoes, chickens, bananas, mats and obsidian tools. Oddly enough the local people did not eat eggs but only chicken meat. Since a larger statue would mean a higher cost, bigger statues would also mean more greatness for the tribe, since it would be a proof of that the tribesmen are clever and hard-working enough to pay.
Eye holes would not be carved until the statue reached its destination. A pukao of red scoria stone from the quarry Puna Pau would sometimes be placed on the head of the statue to represent the long hair of the deceased, which was a sign of mana; a kind of mental power. Eyes of coral would mark the final touch, and the moai would be a
The moai hats actually represent topknots - hair, tied up like a ball on top of the head, called pukao in Rapa Nui. The mana (supernatural powers) was according to ancient beliefs preserved in the hair, which is why chieftains never cut their hair. The statues are called mōai –
The moais were built between 1400 and 1650 A.D. by the islanders.There are about 1000 statues, some up to 86 tons tons in weight and 10 metres in height, though average is around half of that. 95% of the moais were carved from the volcano Rano Raraku. This location was chosen because the material is compressed volcanic ash and was easy to carve, which was necessary as only stone tools were used.
Moai statues were built to honour chiefs or other important people who had died. They were placed on rectangular stone platforms which were tombs for the people that the statues represented. The moais were made with different faces since they were intended to keep the appearance of the person it represented.
There was one group of carvers from which the statues were bought. The buying tribe would pay with whatever they could. Examples of trade items would be sweet potatoes, chickens, bananas, mats and obsidian tools. Oddly enough the local people did not eat eggs but only chicken meat. Since a larger statue would mean a higher cost, bigger statues would also mean more greatness for the tribe, since it would be a proof of that the tribesmen are clever and hard-working enough to pay.
Eye holes would not be carved until the statue reached its destination. A pukao of red scoria stone from the quarry Puna Pau would sometimes be placed on the head of the statue to represent the long hair of the deceased, which was a sign of mana; a kind of mental power. Eyes of coral would mark the final touch, and the moai would be a
living face. The spirit of he or she who had passed away would forever watch over the tribe and bring fortune in life.
The moai hats actually represent topknots - hair, tied up like a ball on top of the head, called pukao in Rapa Nui. The mana (supernatural powers) was according to ancient beliefs preserved in the hair, which is why chieftains never cut their hair. The statues are called mōai –
that he can exist.I did ask if there was a local language to be told that the island is called Rapa Nui with the people and the language called the same. As there are nine clans on the island I would have expected them each to have their own language or dialect, but it seems not.
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| A line of topknots |
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| The Quarry |
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