Hoa Hakananai'a Easter Island statue
A History of the World in 100 Objects
The Ancestors of Rapa Nui
The statues were placed on specially built platforms, ranged along the coastline. A sacred geography reflecting the tribal divisions of Rapa Nui. Moving these statues would have taken days and a large workforce. Hoa Hakananiaia would have stood on his platform with his giant stone companions in a formidable line. Their backs to the sea, keeping water over the island. These uncompromising ancestor figures must have made a haunting and daunting vision for any potential invaders.
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