Unveiling the Mystery: Easter Island’s Famous Moai Statues with Hidden Bodies

The enigmatic Easter Island statues, commonly known as the Moai, have long been the subject of fascination and mystery. But recent research has revealed that these famous statues actually have bodies, buried deep beneath the earth.

The Moai statues are located on Easter Island, a remote island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The statues were carved by the Rapa Nui people between the 13th and 16th centuries, and are believed to represent their ancestors. The Moai are striking, with their oversized heads and solemn expressions, and have become a symbol of the island and its culture.

For many years, it was thought that the Moai were simply heads, as only the upper part of the statues were visible above the ground. However, in the early 20th century, archaeologists began to uncover the bodies of the statues, revealing that they were actually full-bodied figures.

Despite this discovery, it wasn’t until recently that a team of archaeologists, led by Jo Anne Van Tilburg of the Easter Island Statue Project, conducted a thorough investigation of one of the statues. The team used ground-penetrating radar and other techniques to examine the statue, named Tukuturi, which is located on the south coast of the island.

Their investigation revealed that Tukuturi is about 4.5 meters (15 feet) tall, with a body that is buried up to its neck in the ground. The body is made of cylindrical stone blocks, and is much narrower than the head. The statue’s arms are carved into the body, and there are carvings on the back of the statue as well.

The discovery of Tukuturi’s body has shed new light on the Moai statues and their construction. It is believed that the statues were carved from volcanic rock and then transported to their final locations. The bodies were then buried, with only the heads visible above the ground. The purpose of the statues is still a subject of debate, but they are thought to have had religious or ceremonial significance.

The Easter Island Statue Project continues to investigate the Moai statues, with the aim of uncovering more information about their construction and history. Thanks to their work, we can now see the Moai in a new light, not just as enigmatic heads, but as full-bodied figures that continue to intrigue and fascinate us.