
![]()
![]()
![]()
Bora Bora
Moorea
Fatu Hiva
Nuku Hiva
Ua Pou
Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park
Na Pali Coast
Waimea Canyon
Easter Island Chile
Aitutaki
Cook Islands
Upolu
Western Samoa
Vava'u
Tonga
Polynesia wonder map
French Polynesia map &
tips
Interesting facts &
tidbits
Polynesia photo
gallery
Gauguin painting gallery
Polynesia home page
Site map
About me and my credentials
About my website
Reader testimonials
Email me your opinion



Easter Island is noted for its stone human statues (called "moai") carved from volcanic rock.
The moai number nearly 1000 and dot the hillsides above the rocky shores.
The biggest standing moai is 10 meters (33 feet) tall. An unfinished moai in the quarry is over twice that length and would have weighed about 135,000 kilograms (150 tons).
The moai's purpose is a mystery. The most popular theories say they depict gods or ancestors.
Few places are as remote as Easter Island. It is about 3000 kilometers (2000 miles) away from the two nearest population hubs: Tahiti (to the west) and Chile (east). Geographically, it's in the South Pacific.
Experts are now fairly certain that Rapa Nui (as the locals call Easter Island) was inhabited by seafaring Polynesians around 400 AD. The Easter Island culture slowly evolved and peaked around 1400 AD.
At the time of its cultural peak, tiny Easter Island became over populated. To meet short term needs, the people committed conservational suicide by denuding the landscape of trees that future generations would need for fuel, boats and buildings. The topsoil soon eroded, the economy collapsed, civil war ensued and moai sculpting abruptly halted.
Other Polynesia
medal winners
Use
the clickable "Polynesia Triangle" map below to learn about the other Hillman
Wonder medal winners in Polynesia.

sponsored ad

Explore my
candid country, region
and other travel guides
Click links for tips & insights
WONDERS OF ... | WONDERS OF ... | CRUISE GUIDES | WORLD'S TOP WONDERS | OTHER TIPS & INSIGHTS |
|
| |||
SPECIAL TOPICS | MORE | |||
|
| |||
|
| |||
|
|
| ||
|
|
| ||
|
|
| ||
|
|
|
|