Easter Island Statues

Easter Island is a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is home to nearly 1,000 huge stone statues. These statues are called moai. They have big heads with long faces and serious looks. The Rapa Nui people carved them hundreds of years ago.

Making the Moai

The moai were carved from soft volcanic rock on the island. Most of them were made between 500 and 900 years ago. Some are over 30 feet tall and weigh as much as 80 tons. That is heavier than 10 elephants. The carvers used hard stone tools to shape them.

Moving the Giants

One big mystery is how the Rapa Nui people moved the heavy statues. The carving place was far from where the statues stand today. Some scientists think they used wooden sleds or rolled them on logs. Others think they rocked them back and forth to 'walk' them across the island. No one knows for sure.

Fun Facts

• Many moai have bodies buried under the ground, not just heads.
• The biggest moai ever made is almost 70 feet long.
• Some statues have red stone hats on top called pukao.

Did You Know?

The moai face inland toward the villages, not out to sea, because they were meant to watch over the people.