Moai on Easter Island/Chile

                                              Moai Statues

The Moai are huge statues on the Polynesian island Rapa Nui. The island is commonly called Easter Island and belongs to Chile. Easter Island is more than 2,200 miles away from Chile in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The islanders created more than 900 carved stone figures between 1250 and 1500. Most of the stone figures with the oversized heads were built with tuff stone and compressed volcanic ash.

The figures weigh on average 14 tons which is as much as two elephants! However, the size of the statues varies, there are some smaller ones and some much bigger ones too. The heaviest stone figure weighs 82 tons and is 10 meters/33ft long! They are about 4metres/13ft tall. Most of the islanders believe the huge stone statues represent their ancestors.

There are more than 900 monumental statues and 300 ceremonial platforms that are sacred to the Rapa Nui people. More info here.