The moai are the world's most recognizable monolithic sculptures, carved between the 13th and 16th centuries by the Rapa Nui people on the island of the same name, Chilean territory located more than 3,700 kilometers from the mainland coast.
What they represent
The moai represent important ancestors and leaders of the Rapa Nui clans, and were placed facing inland, toward the community, as protectors -not out to sea, as is commonly and mistakenly believed. Each statue was carved from volcanic tuff and then moved, in some cases several kilometers, to its ceremonial platform, or "ahu".
Where to see them
- Rano Raraku: the quarry where almost all the moai were carved; around 400 statues remain there in various stages of production, some half-buried.
- Ahu Tongariki: the most photographed site, with 15 moai lined up facing the sea, rebuilt after a tsunami in the 1960s.
- Ahu Akivi: the only site with moai facing the ocean, astronomically aligned toward the equinox.
The entire archaeological park is part of Rapa Nui National Park, a World Heritage site, and access requires a ticket purchased on arrival, with a daily cap on visitors at the most popular sites.
