Researchers have discovered a stone statue in the crater of the Rano Raraku volcano on Easter Island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The so-called Moai was found in the dry lake in the crater, the Chilean daily Diario El Mercurio reported Wednesday.
“This is a very special find because it is the first discovery of a moai in the lagoon in the crater of Rano Raraku. This has never happened before,” says the Ma’u Henua indigenous community.
Heavily damaged by erosion
The statue’s facial features are recognizable, but badly damaged by erosion. “The study could provide a different perspective on history as we know it and how our ancestors used this cultural settlement and resources,” Ma’u Henua said. The community manages the Rapa Nui National Park.
Purpose of the images still unknown
Easter Island is known for its giant stone statues called Moai (pictured below). The exact purpose of the tuff sculptures is still unclear. However, researchers assume that they represent chieftains and ancestors and should represent a connection to the afterlife.
Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Easter Island, about 3,500 kilometers west of the Chilean coast, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. The name is said to come from the fact that European seafarers first mentioned it on Easter 1722. Chile incorporated the distant island into its national territory in 1888.
Easter Island, called Rapa Nui by the locals, was only reopened to tourism in early August after a two-year corona ban. Before the start of the Covid pandemic, it had about 160,000 visitors a year.
Source: Krone
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