About Easter Island
Location: Southeastern Pacific, Easter Island is approximately 2,182 miles (3,512 kilometers) west of the mainland of Chile.First Settlers: Polynesians, likely between 800–1200 CE
Famous For: Over 1000+ moai statues
Current Governance: Territory of Chile
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Since 1995
Historical Timeline
1. Polynesian Settlement (c. 800–1200 CE)Early Polynesians navigated thousands of kilometers using stars and ocean currents.
They brought with them agriculture, chickens, and their culture.
Society was organized into clans, and power revolved around ancestor worship.
Easter Island, located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. It is famous for its moai statues, known locally as Rapa Nui, is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world, massive stone figures that have fascinated archaeologists, historians and mystery lovers for centuries.
It was the year 1722 i.e. 300 years ago. when a European explorer Jacob Roggeveen mistakenly reached this island. he saw many standing statues look like giants which were meticulously carved out of stone. he further explore the island and he found that the island is filled with thousands of statues.
The day when Jacob landed on this island was an Easter Sunday, that's how Easter island got its name.
and since then it has been explored by a lot of archaeologists and experts.
These statues are called Moai. many of the statues have eyes and others don't. whereas sharp chin, long nose, flat head and long faces gave them a unique identity
A lot of statues are standing on the island's and for many of them only their faces are visible.
But during an excavation in 2012 a surprising fact was discovered. It was found that these statues have their whole body which was buried inside the ground. among them the tallest statue's height is 33 feet, whereas its weight is estimated 90,000 to 1,00000 KG.
The moai statues were carved from volcanic tuff or ash rock at the Rano Raraku quarry.. that means these statues were built on this island itself.
According to experts, a team of 12to15 labors might took a year to carve a statue.
Although researchers solved the mystery behind the carving but now it was hard for them to understand how these giant statues were brought from the volcanic site to different locations that are many kilometers away. Because one statue weights about 15 elephants. Even at present time without machines it seems impossible to do.
But during an excavation in 2012 a surprising fact was discovered. It was found that these statues have their whole body which was buried inside the ground. among them the tallest statue's height is 33 feet, whereas its weight is estimated 90,000 to 1,00000 KG.
The moai statues were carved from volcanic tuff or ash rock at the Rano Raraku quarry.. that means these statues were built on this island itself.
According to experts, a team of 12to15 labors might took a year to carve a statue.
Although researchers solved the mystery behind the carving but now it was hard for them to understand how these giant statues were brought from the volcanic site to different locations that are many kilometers away. Because one statue weights about 15 elephants. Even at present time without machines it seems impossible to do.
Experts believe that these statues were balanced using the ropes, statues were made to walk with rope to reach different locations of the island.
But there was some mystery still remaining to be solved who are these people who built thousand of statues? and what happened here that made them to leave the statues incomplete?
A study claimed that once 17,500 people used to live in Rapa Nui or Easter island. They were Polynesian who came here in 300 A.D. means i.e. 1700 years ago.
during excavation many skeletons and bones were found in the island that contains evidence of injury. may be chances that a civil war broke out here and mostly women were targeted.
And the last, the people who were left here migrated from this place.
Today this island is part of UNESCO world heritage.
But there was some mystery still remaining to be solved who are these people who built thousand of statues? and what happened here that made them to leave the statues incomplete?
A study claimed that once 17,500 people used to live in Rapa Nui or Easter island. They were Polynesian who came here in 300 A.D. means i.e. 1700 years ago.
during excavation many skeletons and bones were found in the island that contains evidence of injury. may be chances that a civil war broke out here and mostly women were targeted.
And the last, the people who were left here migrated from this place.
Today this island is part of UNESCO world heritage.
How to go:-
1. Flights:
Santiago, Chile: You'll need to fly to Santiago first.Easter Island (Hanga Roa): LATAM Airlines offers the only direct flights to Mataveri International Airport (IPC) in Hanga Roa from Santiago.
Flight Duration: Expect a 5.5-hour flight from Santiago to Easter Island.
Booking:
Book your flights in advance, especially during peak season, as they can be expensive. Consider using a travel agent to help find deals.2. Getting Around Easter Island:
Easter Island is relatively small, making it possible to explore independently.Transportation:
Taxis: Taxis are available, but it's wise to book in advance, especially for airport transfers.Rental Cars: Rental cars are also available for exploring the island.
Guided Tours: Guided tours are recommended for exploring the national park and learning about the Moai statues and the island's history.
Hiking and Horseback Riding: You can also explore parts of the island on foot or horseback.
National Park Pass: If you plan to visit the Rapa Nui National Park (which includes most of the Moai sites), you'll need to purchase a park pass.
Currency: The local currency is the Chilean Peso (CLP).
Language: The local language is Rapa Nui, but Spanish is also widely spoken.
Peak Season (December - February).
