The sun is about to break on Rapa Nui, the Polynesian island dubbed Easter Island by a Dutch seafarer in 1722. Rapa Nui’s megaliths are called moai, and 15 of them stand with their backs to the ...
the artisans used their knowledge to shape the statues. The hats, called pukao, were made from scoria. This rock came from the Puna Pau quarry. It shows the island’s geology and the Rapa Nui’s ...
The moai may also hold a sacred role in the life of the Rapa Nui, acting as ceremonial conduits for communication with the gods. According to Van Tilburg, their physical position between earth and ...