The Mystery of the Moai

In A.D. 300, Polynesian settlers arrived in an unknown land, now known as Easter Island. Their civilization is known as the Rapa Nui. They created a unique culture of architecture and monumental stone statues called Moai. By 1400 AD, they built the first few Moai statues. These statues were built to honor the kings who had passed and to protect the island. However, after being studied by professionals in the modern day, we learned that the Moai also demonstrated the political system at the time. The Moai were built using stone or volcanic rock. They were usually constructed to be 13 feet high with an average weight of 10 metric tons for a full body. However, due to erosion and some unknown factors, only the heads of many Moai statues remain visible above ground. But how did the ancient civilization manage to move these massive, exceptionally heavy statues around the island? This mystery still remains unsolved. However, many suggest that the Rapa Nui might have used ropes and pulled the Moai across the island, while others believe there could have been a worldly influence at play. The Moai statues and the mystery of their construction play an iconic role in Easter Island and Chile’s history, leaving many curious and wanting to visit the statues for themselves.