A statue of a moai has been unearthed at the bottom of a recently dried-up crater lake in Easter Island. This is the first time that one of the island’s famous giant-headed figures has been found in a lake.
Easter Island, located more than 3500 kilometres from the South American continent, is home to over 900 moai statues. These iconic statues were carved from volcanic rock over 500 years ago by the Rapa Nui people.
Most of the statues were carved from rock sourced from the Rano Raraku volcano. Some were left at the volcano, which is now a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while hundreds were transported to other parts of the island.
Terry Hunt, a researcher at the University of Arizona, expressed surprise at the discovery, stating, “We think we know all the moai, but then a new one turns up.” The newly discovered statue is 1.6 metres tall and has recognizable features, although its details are not yet clear. It was found lying face down amidst tall reeds.
The dry conditions on the island at present may lead to the discovery of more statues, according to Hunt.
The moai statues have long been a subject of awe and speculation regarding their role in the decline of the island’s population in the 17th century. For the indigenous Rapa Nui people, the statues symbolize their deified ancestors.
The discovery of the statue holds great significance for the Rapa Nui people, as affirmed by Salvador Atan Hito, the vice president of Ma’u Henua, the organization responsible for managing the park where the statue was found.
Rano Raraku’s crater is typically filled with water, but the lake has been shrinking since 2018 due to a decade of drought on Easter Island. This drought has been attributed to both climate change and the La Niña weather pattern in the tropical Pacific. The current La Niña event is part of a rare “triple dip” occurrence, which may also be linked to human-caused climate change.
