Moai - a monolithic human figures carved from stone between 1250 and 1500 and located on the Chilean Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Almost half of them are still located on the outer slopes of Rano Raraku crater of an extinct volcano Terevaka. Some half-buried, some left still "under construction", but hundreds were transported from there and set on stone platforms called ahu around the perimeter of the island. Almost all moai have overly large heads making up three-eighths the size of the entire statue. Moai are mainly persons living deified ancestors.

High moai called "steam" - the height of almost 10 meters and weigh more than 80 tons. One unfinished sculpture at the end would be about 21 meters tall with a weight of about 270 tons. The average height moai - about 4 m, diameter - 1, 6 m. These massive creation usually weigh 12 to 5 tons.

All 53 887 moai, which are known to date, were carved out of tuff (compressed volcanic ash) Early-Raruku. There are also 13 Moai, carved from basalt, 22 - from trachyte and 17 - from the delicate red slag.

Statues of Easter Island are known for their big, wide noses and a massive chin, rectangular shape of the ears and deep eye slits. Their bodies tend to hunker down, with arms, no legs.

In 1979, Sergio Rapu Haoa and a team of archaeologists found the deep semi-spherical or elliptical orbit was designed to keep the coral eye, with either black or red pupils from the slag. But over time, the pupils colored statues were lost.

Some moai were heaped-farts on their heads, they were carved from red scoria (very easy slag from the quarry on Puna Pau). The red color is considered sacred in Polynesia. Adding hats farts increased status moai.

Many archaeologists believe that the moai statues are symbols of power and authority, both religious and political. Archaeologists believe that the statues were the epitome of ancient Polynesian ancestors. Moai Statues that otvёrnuty from the ocean and are turned to the villages, as if watching people. Exceptions are seven Ahu Akiva, who look to the sea to help travelers find the island. There is a legend which says that the seven people who were waiting for their king, that he arrived safely to the island of Rapa Nui.