Rano Raraku quarry

  In short

One of the visually most impressive megalithic monuments of the world.

Rano Raraku served as a mine of moai, used sometimes around 1200 – 1700 AD. Here in the comparatively soft volcanic tufa were hewn moai sculptures for further transport to different parts of the island.

Numerous (397) sculptures are located in situ up to this day, half-made or left on the way to their destinations. Very impressive are the semi-completed moai still standing in the vertical cliff face. Not less imposing are the moai dotting the slope and partly subsided in the ground.

Rano Raraku serves as a great place to research the evolution of moai. Here is located the largest moai weighing 270 tons and 21.6 m tall, many times larger than any transported moai. Here nearby is located also Tukuturi – an unusual sitting sculpture made of red stone from Puna Pau quarry.