JPS Image. Click on the image to view in stereo.
Rano Raraku, Easter Island
This is the west face of Rano Raraku, the volcanic
crater on the east side of the island, which was the quarry from which
the moai were born. Also referred to as the Nursery, the rock type
here was of a higher-but-carveable quality, and supported a cycle of fanaticism
that lasted for around a millennia. The dark spots you see all over
the hillside are moai. Notice the size, and then look at the rectangular
spot on the right side of the photo- that is another moai being carved
out. It absolutely dwarfs the other moai.
Just for emphasis, I've taken a higher resolution version of the right
photo above, and enhanced parts of it to highlight all the moai.
This makes it easy to compare the sizes to the unfinished giant, as well
as to see just how many there were. This is only a fraction of the
moai- there are at least 24 in this photo. There are many in different
states of being carved, and who knows how many are fully buried.
The little guy on the right has only his eyes above the ground. Even
more lie off to the left that are fallen and broken in pieces.
©2000, Jeffrey L. Cooper
