Rano Raraku quarry bay

Rano Raraku, an extinct volcano, is the quarry from which the majority of Easter Island statues (moai) were carved. There are distinct units or bays from which the statues were quarried – the work of separate groups of workers or families. These spatial divisions were emphasised by piling up quarry spoil on either side of the bay and by setting up flanking statues.

This photograph was taken during the Spring 2008 season of the ‘Rapa Nui Landscapes of Construction’ project, an international collaboration co-directed by Dr Sue Hamilton (UCL Institute of Archaeology) that involves universities and local organisations and is supported by the British Academy.

Rapa Nui is the local name for Easter Island. It is one of the remotest places on Earth, lying in the South-East Pacific west of Chile and measuring 170 square km. Its most well known feature is its iconic statues, which were created 1000–1500 AD.

To find out more about the project and how you can support it, please contact Dr Sue Hamilton.

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