RAPA NUI
Why did the Rapa Nui make the statues?
(3 reasons)
1. Honor ancestors
2. Scare away evil spirits
3. Watch over the islanders
How did the Rapa Nui make the Moai?
They carved them out of the side of the volcano
How many statues are on the island?
About 900 Moai
How did the Rapa Nui move the statues?
(3 theories)
1. They walked
2. Aliens moved them
3. They rolled them on logs
What tool did the Rapa Nui use to carve the Moai?
stone axes
How much does the largest statue weigh?
They weigh up to 82 tons
In 1888, Easter Island became part of what country?
Chile
How did the Rapa Nui change the island over time? (3 things happened)
1. They cut down all the trees and did not plant new ones
2. The soil washed into the ocean
3. They could not make canoes to go fishing or to leave the island
Why do the statues look the way they do?
The ancestors are the reincarnations of the statues i.e. they meant to resemble the ancestors
What type of rock are Moai made of?
Igneous rock, tuff, compressed volcanic rock, basalt or trachyte
What are the large flat stones under the statues (ahu) used for? (2 reasons)
1. To show where people were buried
2. Altars
How were the red tops put on some of the statues?
This is still a mystery
How many people live on Easter Island today?
There are about 2,000 people on the island today
How many miles across is Easter Island?
11 km long
How were the statues destroyed?
From the groups fighting and destroying each others statues
How tall are the statues?
4 meteres tall