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The moai of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) are usually the main event for people wanting to book a trip to one of the world’s most remote islands. You might already know a lot about the moai, or you might be wanting to learn more: either way, this guide gives you an overview of the moai on Rapa Nui and addresses some of the mysteries surrounding them. But be warned sometimes, the more you learn about the mysterious moai of Rapa Nui, the more questions you have.
The moai of Rapa Nui are monoliths, carved in human form, from soft compacted volcanic ash called Tufa. They appear all over Rapa Nui (Easter Island) – some lie fallen face-down on the ground, and some have been restored to a standing position. Once the island was covered in lush greenery, but today the interior of Rapa Nui has no trees, instead covered with pale green grasslands and black volcanic rocks. The huge human form moai therefore cast imposing figures against a rather barrenand windswept landscape.
At first sight the moai might all look the same – large stone heads on a torso, decorated with carved designs. However, each moai is different from the next, having been carved with much skill to embody the spirit of a departed chief or person of note on the island. The moai have elongated earlobes, and the longer the earlobe the more important the person was deemed to have been.
Some of the moai have red topknots, thought to represent hair tied up in a bun (rather than representing a hat). This is because high-ranking Rapanui would have had long hair which was associated with importance and status in their society. In addition, when the clans started to compete for the tallest moai, adding a topknot would have added height to the overall statue.
The moai once stood on ceremonial platforms called Ahu, which were built on ancestral burial sites. For this reason, the Ahu are protected and you should take care not to step on them as you explore. Each Ahu is considered to start at the sloping ramp below the central platform.
The moai are special to the Rapanui as they are said to embody the spirit (‘Mana’) of their ancestors. In fact, the word moai means ‘to exist’ which relates to this. The moai were statues built to represent important ancestors like Chiefs which were erected to keep watch over the community, facing protectively over the village; they do not face out to the ocean as you might expect.
The moai of Rapa Nui are shrouded in mystery in relation to how they were made and transported around the island. There are around 1000 moai on Rapa Nui – some along the coastline of the island, some inland, and a large number around the quarry where they were made.
Mystery also exists about why moai construction seems to have stopped suddenly (see Rano Raraku below), and why the moai of Rapa Nui were all toppled over from their standing positions at some point in the nineteenth century.
All these questions add to the mystery and reasons why the moai here are so special.
The early Polynesian settlers didn’t start carving the moai straight away when they landed on the island, as they had to spend time clearing trees, planting crops and setting up settlements on the island. During this period, they also had time to investigate the various rocks and stones available to them for carving. Eventually they discovered ‘tuff or tufa’, compacted volcanic ash, which was soft enough to carve.
One of the skilled professionals who originally came to the island by canoe would have been a Master Carver; someone with the skills to who carve the moai and train others to follow his lead.
The islanders had no metal tools and had to use a stone like basalt, which was harder than tufa, to carve the moai. They created hand-held chisels out of hard stone.
A large moai would have taken up to 2 years to be carved by a team of around 20 workers. Workers would have been paid in food and water for the very physical work.
A system of canals was established on the top of the quarry, around large rectangular blocks which would then be carved into the moai of Rapa Nui. Small channels would be made around each block for the carvers to access the sides of the moai on ladders from the top of the stone block.
The moai were carved on their backs – the face, neck, torso and arms being completed where it lay. Then, the moai would be chipped away from the bedrock and lowered down the hill, before tipping into a designated hole in the ground – momentum would pivot the enormous moai into a standing position.
Then the back of the moai would be carved. The eye sockets would be penciled in before the moai was transported to its intended destination. Then the eye sockets would be finished would be finished in situ, before white coral and obsidian eyes were added as the final touch.
The average size for a moai was 4 meters tall, however the moai became increasingly larger as clan Chiefs on the island competed for the tallest moai. The largest moai ever carved was over 21 meters tall – its head was 7 meters long, and it would have weighed around 200 tonnes (the weight of a commercial airplane). This moai is called Te Tokanga (‘Giant’) and you can see him, still lying in its construction base in the quarry; it was never finished.
The moai are thought to have been carved during a period of peace on the island.
Tufa was discovered at the Poike volcano in the southeast of the island, and so this became the site of Rano Raraku, the working quarry where the moai were carved. As there was fresh water in the crater of the volcano, this helped to serve the workers.
There are 397 moai still in the quarry at Rano Raraku today. Some are finished but lie abandoned on the hillside of the quarry. Some are half-buried, and some are still in the process of being carved. It looks as though the carvers just put down their tools and left in a hurry. It makes a rather ghostly scene seeing the hillside covered in human-like figures.
No one knows exactly why work on the moai stopped at the quarry, although the most likely suggestion is that the islanders finally ran out of trees, due to their deforestation practices, used for rollers and ropes to help move the moai around the island.
As you explore Rano Raraku look out for the following moai:
Ko Kona He Roa – has carvings of a European ship on its stomach, recording the arrival of 3 mast ships and square sails to the island.
Tukuturi – the ‘kneeling moai’ with his knees tucked underneath him, and
Re-carved moai on top of old statue heads.
The visit to Rano Raraku was one of our favourite moments of our visit to Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Wandering around the sides of the quarry in-between, the stranded moai was rather moving. There is something very melancholy about their facial feature – they seem resigned to their abandonment, whereas when you see them erected on the ceremonial platforms, they look proud and important.
The topknots (‘pukao’) were made in Puna Pau, a small volcanic crater which contains red scoria stone – a much lighter stone that could be used to make topknots for the moai of Rapa Nui. The red colour comes from high iron content.
The topknots were made with a shallow indentation or hollow (only about one inch deep), to keep it placed on top of the moai’s head. The indentation was not central, rather being carved towards the back of the topknot, so it fit in line with the back of the neck. The front of the topknot protruded slightly over the eyes.
Not all the moai of Rapa Nui had a topknot. There were only about 100 topknots carved, as opposed to around 1000 moai. The topknots were added to the later moai, as rival clans strived to add height to their moai to make the most impressive statues.
A trip to Puna Pau also offers fabulous views over Hanga Roa and the island’s west coast.
There are a couple of theories about this. The Rapanui oral stories passed down say that the moai walked out of the quarry using their mana (spiritual energy) and on to the places where they then stood protectively overlooking their villages.
As mentioned above, the amount of deforestation on the island might suggest that trees were used to make rollers and ropes to help move the moai around.
Later evidence suggests that the moai of Rapa Nui did in fact ‘walk’ from the quarry to coastal locations by being rocked from side to side by a team of islanders, using ropes to help them. The base of the moai was shaped with curved edges (“curved like a ukelele” said our tour guide) to allow this to happen. That said, it must have taken a very long time to move such huge and heavy slabs of rock several kilometers to their coastal resting places, and extremely difficult on hills without some momentum.
However they were transported, it would have taken large teams of islanders to have moved them, maybe up to 100 people at a time; care needed be taken with these stone giants which could break easily if dropped, especially at the neck, which was the weakest point.
Whilst this is not definitively known, it is thought that the moai of Rapa Nui were toppled because of inter-tribal warfare. The construction of the moai had become a competition to see which clan could build the biggest statue. The clans tried to ‘out-moai’ each other in terms of their size, or the distance the moai was transported.
As the trees on the island became scarce, and so too the means of transporting the moai around the island, inter-tribal warfare increased. It would have been the perfect act of aggression to ruin the moai (symbols of power) of a different clan.
What is known, from the historical records of the European explorers, is that 1838 was the last date that an outsider recorded having seen an upright moai on Rapa Nui.
A tsunami further damaged many of the toppled moai, when 11-meter-high waves hit Rapa Nui (Easter Island) following an earthquake at Valdivia on the Chilean mainland measuring 9.5 on the Ritcher Scale.
As the Rapa Nui National Park covers approximately half of the island, many of the moai can be viewed in the national park sites. Others can be found outside of the national park, scattered around the coastline – in reality, you are never too far from a moai!
For details about visiting the Rapa Nui National Park – buying tickets, finding a guide, following the rules of the park – check out my blog Travel Panning a Bucket list Trip to Rapa Nui.
There are several sites in the Rapa Nui National Park where the moai have been toppled off their ceremonial platforms and lie face down on the ground. These sites are important as they show exactly how the moai of Rapa Nui were found by the European explorers towards the end of the 19th century.
Although it is very sad to see the figures lying face down in the ground, some people believe that the moai should be left as they were found, rather than restored, acting as an essential reminder of the destructive chapter in the island’s history. The other view is that having some restored platforms is good for tourism and good for history; the restored platforms allow you to imagine what the island was like when all the moai were upright, whilst being mindful that they are burial sites.
Ahu Viahu is an unrestored platform with 8 toppled moai, all lying face-down on the ground. A large round circle marked out on the floor in front of the platform demarking where a son might perform a eulogy to the deceased as part of the ceremony – thanking his mum or dad with memories and food in their honour.
As you look around the site, you will see several red, circular topknots which rolled away when the moai were pushed over. Two of the topknots were retrieved from the water during restoration. You can clearly see carvings on the topknots, including some Birdman motifs.
There is a replica clan village, showing how the buildings might have looked built around this small fishing bay. The buildings include a chicken house, like the one at the Tahai Complex, and a reconstructed boat house.
Akahanga is thought to be the place that first King, Hotu Matu’a, came to after leaving Anakena Beach and never left. It’s thought that the ceremonial platform here, Ahu Akahanga, might be his burial site. The unrestored platform has 12 toppled moai on top.
On the ocean side of the platform is a small moai which looks like ET and could be one of the earliest carvings.
There is also a small cave up the hill which might have been used by the King and his family as protection from the elements. Look for the petroglyph in the boomerang shape of the island with directions carved on it!
The Vinapu site has 3 platforms, including Ahu Tahira.
Ahu Tahira shows the best masonry work on the island with square-cut blocks which fit perfectly together creating a smooth faade. This is the platform which reminds people of the work done by the Incas and contributes to one of the conspiracy theories about the history of Rapa Nui (Easter Island).
Behind Ahu Tahira look for the half-buried moai which is unlikely to have ever stood on the platform. In front of Ahu Tahira, note the 6 toppled moai lying face down, with three topknots lying nearby.
Oral history has it that the giant 21-meter moai, Te Tokaga, which never left Rano Raraku was intended for this platform. Ahu Tahira was one of the last platforms built.
Ahu Tongariki is the largest, restored ceremonial ahu with 15 moai stretching along a 220-meter-wide platform. You can see Ahu Tongariki from the slopes of the quarry Rano Raraku – it stands overlooking the rocky coastline and looks impressive, even from above.
The thing I loved most about Ahu Tongariki was how it showed the moai in all different shapes and sizes all lined up – it clearly demonstrated how the moai are all different. It is wonderful to visit Ahu Tongariki at sunrise so make sure that you plan this into your Rapa Nui itinerary.
Anakena Beach is a beautiful sandy beach that is said to be where the first Polynesians came ashore. As well as some beautiful palm trees behind the beach (imported from Tahiti in the 1960s) you will find the Ahu Nau Nau ceremonial platform.
The moai on Ahu Nau Nau are relatively well preserved, with topknots, as they had been buried and protected by the sand before restoration. They have intricate carvings on their backs and slightly raised eye sockets, so they appear to be looking up to the sky. The platform was restored in 1978.
Ahu Akivi is an inland platform with 7 restored moai which is special because it is the only platform where the moai appear to be looking out to sea (the ‘wrong’ way). However, there is likely to have been a village in-between Ahu Akivi and the ocean, which would explain the position of this platform. The platform was restored by William Mullory in 1960.
The Ahu is an impressive 90 meters wide with a central section measuring 38 meters tall. Each moai is 7 meters tall. As they all look the same, it is likely that they were commissioned at the same time. This platform is aligned with the spring and autumnal equinoxes (20 March and 22 September). This would help farmers keep track of the seasons.
A wonderful complex of artefacts just outside the town of Hanga Roa. I would advise visiting the Tahai Complex at sunset.
This single moai is found inland rather than on the coast. It stands as a lonely figure in a field, seemingly with nothing else around it. This one was restored by American archaeologist William Mulloy in 1978. On closer inspection it is unusual for having 4 hands. It faces the precise direction of the rising sun on the winter solstice (21st June).
There are several restored Ahu and moai between the small port of Hanga Piko and town of Hanga Roa:
Ahu Riata – a single moai on an impressive 40-meter-long platform next to Hanga Piko. You can see the carving of a loincloth on this moai.
Ahu Mata Ote Vaikava – a single moai on a small, dilapidated platform on the coastal path between Hanga Piko and Hanga Roa.
Ahu Tautira and Ahu Hotake – two ceremonial platforms with single moai, built next to each other in the centre of Hanga Roa, with their backs to the small harbour.
Plaza Hotamatua – a small platform with a single moai re-erected to look over Hanga Roa Harbour. This moai was transported from the interior of the island in 1938 to honour Hotu Matu’a, the first Polynesian King to arrive on Rapa Nui.
As well as moai in the Rapa Nui National Park, there are plenty of other artefacts to investigate including volcanic lava tubes, petroglyphs (rock carvings), volcanic craters and the site of the legendary Birdman Competition. Some of the key sites include:
The word ‘papa’ refers to stone slabs with petroglyphs (rock carvings) on them. It is thought that these were used for educating children or simply passing stories on to the next generation. One of the papas here shows a shark and large tuna fish; another one shows an octopus, turtle and fishhooks. The largest petroglyph features a 12-meter canoe (‘vaka’) which is the largest rock carving on Rapa Nui.
The are two key sights here:
The navel of the world – a large circular stone can be found, surrounded by four smaller stones. Legend says that Hotu Matu’a brought the stone from the mythical island of Hiva and that the stone possesses spiritual power (‘mana’) bestowed by the gods. Rather, it may be naturally magnetic.
Paro – the largest moai ever to have stood upright on a platform. This moai measures nearly 10 meters long and is estimated to weigh over 70 tonnes. Paro was the last moai to have been recorded as standing upright by French explorer Abel du Petit-Thouars in 1838.
Ana Te Pahu is a system of impressive volcanic lava tubes which you can access with a short walk from the National Park Ranger station (about 10 minutes). The tubes were large enough for the Rapanui to use for shelter, both from the weather and from tribal aggression.
They are sometimes known as Banana caves because the lava tubes offered sheltered conditions which enabled bananas to grow well inside and up through openings in the roof. The lava tubes go on for ages, and we were able to walk through 3 large caves which would have provided 3 living area for different parts of the same family clan.
Rano Kau is a volcano crater formed during a volcanic eruption 2 million years ago. The crater is almost one mile in diameter and is stunning. It is filled with freshwater and reeds with a glimpse of the ocean in the background. There are Birdman petroglyphs at the lookout point.
You can also usually walk along the crater edge to Orongo, the site of the legendary Birdman Competition which ran on the island for around 150 years. It was like an extreme Ironman competition involving: the descent down a cliff, ocean swimming race to collect the first ‘Sooty’ eggs of the season, before swimming back to the mainland and scaling the cliffs back to Orongo with the eggs. The winner of the Birdman competition would be crowned ‘Chief’ of the island, and spiritual leader, for the next year.
Sadly, for us, due to a recent landslide, the Orongo site was closed during our visit, so we missed out on this key site. However, it is a key site on Rapa Nui, so you should definitely include it in your island itinerary.
The moai of Rapa Nui seem to resonate with us because of their human form. We are curious about their stories and sad to see them abandoned after whatever tragedy befell them.
With around 150,000 visitors a year wanting to meet the moai of Rapa Nui and see the other artefacts on the island, a balance needs to be struck between the revenue from tourism and protecting the island’s treasures. Capping tourist numbers to the island would be completely understandable to help with this, although in some ways this happens naturally by the restricted number of weekly flights to the island.
We thought that the Rapa Nui National Park seemed to be run very well by the Rapanui, with tight control over the rules and visits with guides.
It was a privilege to have met the moai of Napa Nui, or at least some of them – so many moai, so little time!
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