Referred to as Moai by the Rapa Nui inhabitants who crafted these figures in the tropical South Pacific directly west of Chile, these colossal statues were hewn from stone sourced on the island between 1100AD and 1500AD. Nearly half remain at Rano Raraku, the primary moai quarry, whilst hundreds were relocated from there and positioned on stone platforms termed ahu around the island’s edge.

The moai represent the living visages of deified forebears, though over the centuries, archaeologists have uncovered that portions of the statues have become entombed within sediment and rock.

A group of specialists at UCLA established the Easter Island Statue Project to enhance the study and preservation of these artefacts.

Through this endeavour, researchers excavated numerous heads to expose the hidden torso and body beneath.

Jo Anne Van Tilburg, a researcher at the University of California, explained in 2012: “The reason people think they are [only] heads is there are about 150 statues buried up to the shoulders on the slope of a volcano.”

“These are the most famous, most beautiful and most photographed of all the Easter Island statues.

“This suggested to people who had not seen photos of [other unearthed statues on the island] that they are heads only.”

Altogether, the team catalogued and examined nearly 1,000 statues across the small Pacific Island.

The project extended over nine years during which the team established to the best of their capability the significance, purpose and background of each individual statue. Following the necessary permissions, archaeologists unearthed two of the iconic Easter Island heads, revealing their torso and truncated waist.

The statues’ lower halves had been concealed by successive layers of mass transport deposits on the island.

Over time, these natural processes enveloped the statues, gradually burying them up to their heads as the island weathered and eroded over centuries.

Easter Island is located within the Nazca Plate and is a volcanic hotspot that formed the Sala y Gomez ridge, which extends eastwards as the Pacific Ocean opened through the East Pacific Rise.

The island was shaped by successive Pliocene and Holocene volcanic flows composed of basalt and andesite.

Moreover, volcanic tuffs were deposited in the volcanic crater, providing the primary stone used for carving the monolithic Moai statues.

Most of these statues are found along the Rano Raraku volcanic cone, which served as the quarry supplying the Rapa Nui with the monolithic stones used for carving.

During the excavation of the statues, the team discovered etched petroglyphs on the backs of the figures, typically crescent-shaped to symbolise Polynesian canoes.

The canoe motif is believed to represent the carver’s family, offering insights into various familial or group structures on the island.

To carve and erect the statues, the Rapa Nui utilised large tree trunks, which were inserted into deep holes next to the statues.

They then employed rope and the large tree trunk to hoist the statue upright in its place.

The Rapa Nui sculpted the heads and front side of the statues while they were still lying on the ground, finishing the backs after the stone statues had been stood up. The tallest of these statues, known as Paro, stands at an impressive 33 feet high.

A significant amount of red pigment was discovered at the human burial sites of several individuals, indicating that the statues were likely painted red during ceremonies.

These burials frequently occur around the statues, suggesting that the Rapa Nui interred their deceased near the family’s statue.