Another statue discovered on Easter Island
The moai measures 1.60 meters and was discovered lying on its side.
A new moai, these characteristic statues of Easter Island, was discovered in a dried-up lagoon from the crater of a volcano in this Chilean territory in the Pacific Ocean, said the indigenous community in charge of administering the island's national park.
< p class="e-p">This is a truly unique discovery, as it is the first time that a moai has been discovered inside the Rano Raraku crater lake, the Ma community said in a statement. ;u Henua, who manages the Rapa Nui National Park where the volcano is located, believes that this discovery can open new perspectives on the history of the island.
The characteristic Easter Island statue was discovered in a dry lagoon.
The moai was discovered on February 21 by a team of scientists from three Chilean universities who are collaborating with the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) to recover a wetland located in the Rano Raraku crater, affected by a fire last October.
The moai sits in the center of a lagoon that began to dry up in 2018, Ninoska Avareipua Huki Cuadros, director of the Ma'u Henua indigenous community, told AFP. /p>
A moai discovered in a dry lagoon in the crater of the Rano Raraku volcano, on February 24, 2023 on Easter Island, Chile.
What is interesting is that, at least in the last 200 or 300 years, the lagoon has been three meters deep, so no human being could have left this moai there, underlined the one who is also the head of CONAF on the island also known as Rapa Nui.
The moai, which measures 1.60 meters, was discovered lying on its side with a full body and features recognizable, but not clearly defined, says the Ma'u Henua community, which says it is seeking funding to conduct an in-depth study of this discovery.
Isolated in the middle of the Pacific, 3500 km from the Chilean coast, Easter Island, of Polynesian culture, is known worldwide for its impressive megaliths of mysterious origin, classified as world heritage. al by UNESCO. Some statues can reach 20 meters in height and weigh up to 80 tons.
