Cruising into Rapa Nui, one of the most remote populated islands in the world.
Most famous for these Moai. They are like our grave markers, used to acknowledge an honoured ruler. However, when you have to honour your recently departed dignitary, his monument must be larger than the one in the neighbouring village.
There are almost one thousand stone carvings all over the island. At this spot on one of the three volcanic mountains they are laying around all over the hillside. Many are lying on their back or face, and usually broken at the neck and other places. probably from falling over when being transported to their intended location. The Moai are cut from the quarry on this mountain side. There are more than one hundred near here.
There are two flights per day from Chile, over 2180 miles away. They keep the same time zone as Chile although it is three time zones away. Students travel to Chile for their college studies.
In the mid 1980’s the runway on the island was lengthened so that it could be a possible landing spot for the space shuttle program.
Most Moai are facing inland. There is only one site where they are facing toward the ocean. When they are arranged together in a group, they are set up on a pedestal of rock. The wall structure of the base is carefully cut and fitted like the building in Chile and Peru.
The current population is about 5800, with about 6000 horses on 63 square miles. The island is formed by three volcanoes, creating a triangular shaped island. The craters at the top of each of these inactive volcanoes now form great caldera that hold the fresh water for the island.
Pictographs are carved into the stones all over the island. The reddish volcanic rock is relatively soft and easily carved.
Here are a couple of more conventional pictographs, paintings, not on the walls of caves, but on the doors to washrooms.
