A singular Moai, one of the emblematic statues of Easter Island, has been unearthed within the desiccated basin of a laguna situated inside a volcanic caldera, as reported by the Indigenous collective responsible for overseeing the historical site on the Chilean isle.
The Ma’u Henua Indigenous community conveyed in a declaration on Tuesday that this particular Moai holds substantial promise for scientific and ecological investigations, characterizing it as a genuinely exceptional find. They highlighted that this marks the inaugural instance of a Moai being discovered within a laguna located in the Rano Raraku crater.
This stone effigy was discovered on February 21st by a contingent of scientific volunteers drawn from three Chilean academic institutions. These individuals are engaged in a collaborative endeavor focused on the rehabilitation of the marshlands within the Rano Raraku volcano’s caldera.
A number of Moai in the vicinity sustained damage from charring during a forest conflagration that affected the island in October. Easter Island, also recognized as Rapa Nui, is geographically positioned approximately 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) offshore from Chile’s western coastline.
Ninoska Avareipua Huki Cuadros, the director of the Ma’u Henua Indigenous community, which manages the Rapa Nui National Park where the volcano is situated, informed AFP that the Moai is located in the center of a laguna that began to dehydrate in 2018.
Ms. Huki, who also holds the position of provincial head for the local chapter of the national forestry corporation, a partner in the marshland restoration initiative, emphasized the intriguing aspect that the laguna had maintained a depth of three meters for at least the preceding two to three centuries. This considerable depth indicates that its placement could not have been achieved by human intervention within that timeframe.
Moai are distinguished by their monolithic, carved stone composition, featuring characteristic elongated facial features and a complete absence of legs. The majority of these figures were originally hewn from tuff, a type of volcanic ash, sourced from the Rano Raraku volcano.
This specific Moai stands 1.6 meters (5 feet and 3 inches) tall and was discovered supine, oriented upwards towards the sky.
The Ma’u Henua statement described the statue as “full-bodied with recognizable features but no clear definition.” The collective is actively seeking financial resources to undertake a more comprehensive examination of this discovery.
Nevertheless, Ms. Huki indicated that there are “no plans to remove the Moai from where it is.”
She further elaborated that any decisions regarding the Moai’s disposition must involve consultation with the entire Rapa Nui populace, noting that the elder members of the community express a preference for it to remain in its current location.
The Rano Raraku volcano and its associated Moai have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Easter Island was long settled by Polynesian peoples prior to its annexation by Chile in 1888.
