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What are Moai?

Garry Crystal
Garry Crystal

Moai are huge stone carvings that can be found on the most isolated island in the world. Easter Island, where the Moai can be found, is a stretch of volcanic rock situated in the South Pacific. The island was known as Te Pito O Te Henua by its inhabitants, meaning "navel of the world."

Easter Island was given its name by Admiral Roggeveen, who found the island on Easter day in 1722. The Moai are huge monolithic carvings that dot the coastline of the island. Rapa Nui is the local name given to Easter Island, its inhabitants, and their language.

Woman painting
Woman painting

The Moai statues were made from compressed volcanic ash, and each statue was carved in one large piece. The Moai carvings consist of heads and partial torsos that rise above the ground. There are thought to be around 600 to 800 carvings visible on the island.

The height and weight of the Moai are truly staggering. The largest carving is around 33 feet (10 meters) high and weighs in at 83 tons. The Moai were all carved in quarries, and there are some unfinished carvings still evident in the quarries.

There are many myths and legends regarding the Maoi. Once source claims that they were the work of extra-terrestrials. A more credible theory is that they were made by Polynesian settlers thousands of years ago. They are thought to represent ancestors and living chiefs of the original inhabitants.

The task of moving the carvings to their final destinations must have taken a supreme effort by the islanders. The method used is thought to be similar to the Egyptian method used to build the pyramids. Ropes, rollers, and human strength would have been all that were used to move these huge figures.

A recent Moai discovery concerns the carving of the eyes. A toppled statue found in the sand was discovered to have coral set into the eye sockets. Some of the Moai also have red cylinders made of stone placed on their heads.

Whatever the reason for the Moai, they are said to be one of the world's most breathtaking sights. Easter Island itself has one of the most unique and amazing landscapes that can be witnessed. Beautiful beaches, brilliant blue waters, and amazing volcanic formations await in one of the most remote locations in the world.

Discussion Comments

gldneaple

The reason for the moai is that the entire island is a rebus code. Magnified, it’s a very simple rebus of the real ring of fire it sits within. There are nearly 1,000 volcanoes in the Pacific ring of fire, and nearly 1,000 volcano statues in the statue ring of the Rapa Nui. Some of the real volcanoes are dormant at all times and some are red shooting up, erupting. Some of the statues are dormant and some have red striations for a shooting up, active effect.

The only way to make the two rings more alike would be add faces to the real volcano ring. Why? Reason one is Easter is the easiest and the key code to reading the others, and there are others. Giza is also one. A volcanic mirror is a phenomenon of reflective aerosol acid rain drops that reflect away from the sun and cool the earth. The pyramid was originally encased in solar reflective mirrorlike casing stones. You see the volcanic mirror when you restore the casing. It’s one phenomena and it’s instruction is to cool the earth. It’s so easy, you see them. It cannot be a hoax.

With any pic of a pyramid, if you restore the mirrors, you see the rebus clear as day. The science is easily researched.

If volcanic reflectives cool earth and you see a rebus of volcanology that saves a planet, it’s the answer, not a guess or theory.

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      Woman painting