Meaning of Moai Tattoos

Moais are giant statues found on Easter Island in Chile. Also known as Easter Island Heads, they are one of mankind's greatest mysteries, built between 1250 and 1500.

According to scholars, the main theory would be that the Rapanui, who were the first inhabitants of this island, made the statues in honor of their dead leaders, which would explain the arrangement of the heads, with their backs to the sea and looking toward the center of the village. Another more current theory is that the statues were made to bring prosperity and agricultural fertility, so that the people would not lack essential supplies.

In all, there are more than 800 stone statues, measuring between 2 and 20 meters high and weighing tons. The stone used was a single piece taken from a crater near the Rano Raraku volcano in the center of the island. To this day it is unclear how the local population managed to move these structures.

 

Here are some images of Moai tattoos:

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