Rapa Nui - I didn't know this....

[The Baron]

I have no idea how old this info is but it came across my desk yesterday. There are 2 things that have always fascinated me about this island. One of course is the enigmatic statues and their meaning for a race that has vanished or been absorbed, and the other is, it is a salutary lesson in what happens when you cut down all the trees.

Apparently they had a thriving wooden statue carving industry but when the trees ran out - so did they. I wonder what they were thinking when they cut the last one down?

Don't understand that bit at all - it's kind of like a mass slow suicide really.

Anyway, did you know the statues had bodies? I've seen plenty of photos and documentaries but nothing like this, so apologies if this is old news, but to me it's fascinating.

I wonder if the Kiwis who are relatively close, only a few thousand miles away have more info?

This picture is the generic view I have seen many times:



But, not seen anything like this before...











Amazing. Apparently the bases also contain writings.....

Something else new, as there are no writings on the previously visible parts.

Why were they covered?

[Jim Craik]

Keith,

Very interesting. I'm thinking that these big guys were carved up the hill in those visable rocks, then slid down to were they are now. In order to stand them up, they would have to dig out an area then drop them feet first into this hole. Perhaps over the years the the open area filled in, leaving only the upper part showing.

It looks like they invented sun glasses, I can see a nice pair of aviator glasses on the back of one of them.

[Robert]

"It's the same kind of story
that seems to come down from long ago
Two friends having coffee together
when something flies by their window
It might be out on that lawn
Which is wide, at least half of a playing field
Because there's no explaining what your imagination
can make you see and feel

Now it's not a meaningless question to ask
if they've been and gone
I remember a talk about
North Carolina and a strange strange pond
You see the sides were like glass
In the thick of a forest without a road
And if any man's hand ever made that land
Then I think it would've showed

Seems like a dream
Got me hypnotized

They say there's a place down in Mexico
where a man can fly over mountains and hills
And he don't need an airplane or some kind of engine
and he never will
Now you know it's a meaningless question To ask if those stories are right
'Cause what matters most is the feeling
You get when you're hypnotized"

[BenL]

It's very cool stuff. I didn't know they had bodies.

The website for the researchers can be found at: http://www.eisp.org/

[Frank3]

I remember reading something about the mythology of the area that says the figures were carved then walked on their own to their final resting spots .

[zollis]

I wonder if the Kiwis who are relatively close, only a few thousand miles away have more info? Post # 1

What I can add is this ; The mythology is rather interesting in these regions. It is not only humans that can walk away but mountains can walk as well. One story goes roughly like this; Mountain (Taranaki) walked away from another mountain (Mount Ruapehu )













Z.C.