Easter Island: Intriguing quest of statues
Chile | admin | June 25, 2010The Easter Island is mystery yet to be unraveled. Get on to the voyage for discovering the Easter Island, mystique of evocative place into the galore of prehistoric monuments in Pacific. Once upon a time the most isolated islands in the world, and then some 1200 years ago, there came a double-hulled canoe with seafarers from some distant land of different culture landed upon island’s shores. Over the centuries, some phenomenon’s happened which led to development of a remarkable society in isolation on the island.
The main phenomenon which has baffled all people till date is that for some reasons still unknown, inhabitants began carving giant statues out of volcanic rock. These statues or monuments are known as “moai”, the most incredible ancient relics ever discovered.
The people of Easter Island- called the Rapa Nui.
Mystery:
Where did the inhabitants come from and why did inhabitants disappear? Science has learned much about the mystery of Easter Island and has put to rest some of the more bizarre theories, but questions and controversies remain for the enigma of Easter Island remains.
The Easter Island- Astonishing/ Fascinating/ Mysterious/ Unique
Easter Island’s early settlers called the island “Te Pito O Te Henua” also called Navel of The World. And it was Admiral Roggeveen, who came upon the island on Easter Day in 1722, which is why he named it Easter Island. Today, the land, people and language are all referred to locally as Rapa Nui.
So much of controversy and confusion regarding the origins of the Easter Islanders, some have been solved and some still lurking in mysterious alleys. Thor Heyerdahl proposed that the people who had built the statues were of Peruvian descent, coz he found similarity between Rapa Nui and Incan stonework. While some people have even suggested that Easter Island is the remnant of a lost continent, and people have kept no stone turned as for solving this mystery they have even claimed the statues are the result of an extra-terrestrial influence. Yet with new Archaeological evidences, indicating that discovery of the island was done by Polynesians at about 400 AD which leads towards legend, by Hotu Matua. Polynesians arrival brought an impressive and enigmatic culture to develop. It is just not statues that add to the fascination and mystery, in addition the islanders possessed the Rongorongo script; the only written language in Oceania. On the island, it is also home to many petroglyphs i.e. rock carvings, traditional wood carvings, tapa bark cloth crafts, tattooing, string figures, dance and music.
Easter Island today, is a unique place that you will encounter, a show case of fascinating of lost culture and astonishing marvels of statues. The Rapanui, are friendliest people you will ever meet and with the most amazing landscape with its volcanic crater having lava formations, beautiful beaches amidst brilliant blue waters and mind blowing archeological sites.
Easter Island Location:
Half way between Tahiti and Chile
2337 miles west of Chile
Big open air museum- The Easter Island
The tiny Easter Island is a wealth of beauty with both, man made and natural. Such is this island’s fascination that United Nations has listed it under its United Nations World Heritage Site, the ruins of island are accessible to all. The place is like Big open sir museum because there are no fences or signs telling you not to touch, or even watch where you walk, reason being that where ever you walk it is an archeological site! With no roof top, and artifacts not being in some protective walls and glasses but all open for you revere them in this open air museum. It is believed that there are some eight hundred moais scattered around the whole island. Ahu- this is small raised platforms which is considered to be some ceremonial centers and carrying maois towering upto six meters high. All these maois were carved out of compressed ash from Rano Raraku volcano, also known as “nursery” and there are still some moais who are attached to the mother rock, in different phases of their constructions. One astonishing features of some moais is Pukao- a hat like reddish stone that comes from Puna Pao and most of moais have white eyes of cut coral fitted in place. Look out for:
- Moai
- Ahu
- Navel of World
- Stone walls
- Stone houses
- Petroplphs
- Caves
- Wood carving
Easter Island Sites / Easter Island Tourist Attractionst:
Obvious is that main tourist attractions is moais. Don’t walk on Ahu, coz it is extremely disrespectful gesture. Visit the sites along the coastline, by renting bicycle or even on foot. On the island every mile contains several sites where you can see ruins.
Volcanic craters of Rano Kau and Rano Raraku are two exceptional sites. It was in Rano Raraku the birthplace of moai statues and carvings, out ig hill side of the volcanic rock , hundreds if laborers must have carved full time, this place is exceptional coz in this remnant you can see various stages of carvings, partially finishes figures. Hiking on this place is superb with seeing the most amazing sites.
Rano Kau has unearthly appearance which is breathtaking.
There are even two beaches- Anakena and gem like beach which is so treasured that it still doesn’t have name. Scuba diving/ Snorkeling/ bodysurfin/ Swimming and best is to completely lay back in these laid back beaches.
Though don’t miss out the caves which are very fascinating and other worldly experience.
- Ahu Tahai
- Orito
- Vinapu
- Orongo
- Vaihu
- Ahu Akivi
- Akahanga
- Puna Pau
- Rano Raraku
- Ahu Tongariki
- Ahu Te Pito Kura
- Ovahe
- Anakena Beach / Ahu Ature Huki
How to Get to Easter Island:
Lan Chile flies thrice in week with flights operating between Santiago, Chile and Papeete
Tahiti Airfare operating from Santiago, Chile to Easter Island
Tallship Soren Larsen sails to Easter Island from New Zealand once a year
Get Around:
Rent cars, jeeps, bicycle, Scooters etc.
Easter Island Accommodation:
There are some 60 hotels and residenciales, though staying at a local guest house will give you more feeling of place and knowing the life of island more closely.
Easter Island intriguing quest for moais statues, don yourself like Indiana Johns and go out exploring the mind blowing Easter Island.
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The Easter island statues are fascinatingly striking with marvelous statues and monuments it has a lot for an inquisitive traveler searching to hunt a treasure island..