The statue was a gift from the people of Nii-jima (an island 163 kilometres (101 mi) from Tokyo but administratively part of the city) inspired by Easter Island moai. The name of the statue was derived by combining "moai" and the dialectal Japanese word moyai (催合い) 'helping each other'.

Jan 11, 2019 · Researchers have long puzzled over why the huge Easter Island statues were placed where they are. However, a new study says the people of Rapa Nui, as the island is called in the local...

Dec 17, 2024 · Easter Island, Chilean dependency in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is the easternmost outpost of the Polynesian island world. It is famous for its giant stone statues. The island stands in isolation 1,200 miles (1,900 km) east of Pitcairn Island and 2,200 miles (3,540 km) west of Chile.

The mysterious moai statues at Easter Island are ancient remnants of a great past. Why were they built? Read on to find out!

Oct 19, 2022 · Easter Island’s iconic statues remain at risk after devastating fire. Recent blazes chewed through the heritage site, causing “irreparable” damage to hundreds of Rapa Nui’s sacred moai.

The island is renowned for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, called moai, which were created by the early Rapa Nui people. In 1995, UNESCO named Easter Island a World Heritage Site, with much of the island protected within Rapa Nui National Park. Experts differ on when the island's Polynesian inhabitants first reached the island.

Nov 9, 2009 · Easter Island, located about 2,300 miles off Chile in the South Pacific Ocean, is known for its nearly 900 giant stone statues that date back several centuries.

Mar 6, 2024 · The Easter Island heads, referred to as Moai (meaning statue) in their native language, are monolithic sculptures. They depict human figures, said to be representations of the island inhabitants’ ancestors. They were created between the …

Jun 21, 2024 · Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island (a name given to it by Europeans), is located in the southeast Pacific and is famous for its approximately 1,000 carvings of moai, human-faced statues.

Dec 17, 2024 · The island is famous for its gigantic stone statues, of which there are more than 600, and for the ruins of giant stone platforms (ahus) with open courtyards on their landward sides, some of which show masterly construction. Archaeological surveys were carried out in 1886, 1914, and 1934; archaeological excavations were initiated in 1955.