Gratuitous Easter Island Statue Pictures Post
For all you out there who are just as enthralled by the statues as I am, this post is for you! When talking about my perfect day tour on Easter Island, I mentioned, but did not go into great detail about the quarry, Rano Raraku.
I also tried to limit the number of stone head pictures (believe it or not) but in doing so, had to take out a lot of cool things. So if you can’t get enough, here you go! You’ll see the heads up close, the heads leaning, and even some full size statues in various stages of completion!
So as you approach the quarry, you start to see all the heads. Which aren’t just heads, they’re the top portion of 35-50 ft statues.
The workers would carve a rough shape out of the rock above and then let it slide down the mountain into a vertical trough that had been dug to receive. Once the quarry was abandoned, dirt gradually washed down the mountain into the troughs, filling them to the neck. Which is why we now have this awesome slope full of heads 🙂
So why are some of the statues leaning? Their trough probably widened with rain causing them to tip. (See the moaii stopped in mid-slide on the left? :))
And it’s amazing the level of detail still visible. Some statues had facial hair (in this case neck hair).
Others had details added at a much later date. In this case the sighting of ship being recorded in the midsection at least a hundred years later.
One of the coolest things to see was the odd moaii out. This guy stood off to the side and is unique because he has a round head and is kneeling. Some speculate it was artistic license, others the start (and quick end) or a new trend. My guide thinks based on his positioning at the far end of the quarry, facing the road the moaii traveled to their destination, that he served as a marker/symbol directing the way.
And unfortunately many of the moaii weren’t lucky enough to make it to their destinations. The quarry and old road was littered with fallen, abandoned statues. (I’m surprised they didn’t find the remains of bar nearby for the workers who watched months of work irrevocably bite the dust).
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Heels First is the travels and tribulations of two twenty-something frequent fliers jumping into the world of travel. Join Keri and Jeanne as they tackle mileage runs, elite status, and of course–the perfect travel accessories.
