How Were The Moai On Easter Island Built?

The moai on Easter Island are, without a doubt, one of the most curious monuments in the world. Their large size and age only raise the question, how were they built? Today we tell you everything in this article.

However, before getting into the subject, we want to tell you a little about these unique figures to remind you. We tell you what they are, what shape they have and what was their meaning.

What are the moai of Easter Island

Apparently the Polynesians had a habit of carving stone statues. It was a custom that they introduced to the island when they arrived there between the 5th and 9th centuries. The moai are huge monolithic statues in a very unique way that are only found on this island.

The meaning of these figures is based on the ancestors of the Rapa Nui tribe, who are responsible for these incredible figures to exist. In fact, in the local language they are called Moai Aringa Ora, which means “the living face of the ancestors”.

It was believed that in this way, through the moai of Easter Island, the tribe would be protected, as the ancestors could extend their spiritual power to protect it, especially from evil spirits.

How many moai are there on Easter Island?

This is another interesting fact about these figures. An exact number could not be given, since there are many, they are scattered throughout the island and it is possible that not all have been discovered. However, so far there have been around 900.  And there are different sizes, from three to ten meters high.

About 400 are in the Rana Raraku quarry and about 300 are near the Ahu tribe  . The rest are all over the island, scattered.

How were the moai on Easter Island made?

Most of the moai were built with volcanic stone. Even today, in the 21st century, its construction still carries some mysteries. For more and more turns that have been given to the matter, it is difficult to understand how the Rapa Nui were able to move 75-ton stones.

These enormous statues were carved in the same quarry, at a high point of the volcano. They first carved the head and gave it its basic shape. The piece was then separated from the bedrock and moved down the slope with ropes.

At that location the figure was inserted into a hole, stood up, and carved its back before taking it to its destination. And that is precisely one of the unknowns: the reason why they did not extract the stone and work it in a more accessible place.

The transfer to the final location

Another question that has not been clarified is how they managed to move monoliths of tons of weight kilometers and kilometers, or how they climbed many to platforms made with thousands of volcanic stones. One theory states that they made them “walk”, balancing them on the base.

The possibility of using sled-like platforms made with tree trunks that were carried along specially constructed paths to transport the figures has also been considered.

But concave sections and signs of vertical log installation have been discovered on those same roads. This suggests that some type of mechanism similar to the lever was used that made it possible to overcome unevenness

Regarding the way in which the moai were placed in their final place, it seems that they were helped by ramps made with stones   that were later used to support the base itself.

Curiosities of the moai of Easter Island

There are two curiosities of the moai of Easter Island that attract the attention of many and that we cannot resist telling you:

• Some wear hats. It is not known why, perhaps they were the chiefs of the tribes, but there are only some “privileged” who wear a strange hat known as Pukao .
• They all look at the sky. This is something that is not known for sure, but it is believed that since these statues serve to protect against evil spirits, it is a way of imploring the gods for the well-being of the tribe.