Ronu Raraku

The moai were all carved from this one extinct volcanic quarry, and the surrounding area formed a de facto outdoor studio. The statues that remain here were all meant to be moved elsewhere, and one of the island’s mysteries is why this transporting process halted. There’s no rhyme or reason to the way the 394 statues lie. They were all meant to be raised on ahus, explaining why they are scattered on the side of the crater, and many are haphazardly leaning. Some of the larger statues are partially buried, vertically, so that the craftsmen could reach to carve the statues’ faces, a rather ingenuous alternative to scaffolding.

Because they were in various stages of finishing, tools were left behind, evidence that the practice was abruptly interrupted. Once they get over the initial shock of seeing a sight of such poignancy and magnitude, visitors are welcome to walk up the path to see the statues up close, surrounded by beautiful orange and red milk flowers.

“The moai seem to be waiting their turn for transport…They conjure up a vision of scores of artisans at work and an eerie sense that the latter have just left, planning to return tomorrow. It is easy to imagine that their work ceased in a single moment, as if, as with Pompeii, some catastrophe occurred.”—The Statues that Walked

Indagare tip: Visit at the end of the day, before the park closes, around 5pm. This is when light is best and there are fewer people.