Easter Island

Why in news?

• On the tiny, remote island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - Easter Island-, archaeologists have discovered moai statue. The enormous stone figure was hidden beneath a dry lake bed.

What is Moai?

• Moai are monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island between the years 1250 and 1500.
• Moai are carved from volcanic tuff (solidified ash).
• Almost all moai have overly large heads, which comprise three-eighths the size of the whole statue - which has no legs.
• The tallest moai erected, called Paro, was almost 10 metres high and weighed 82 tonnes.

About Easter Island:

• The Eastern Island is under the sovereignty of Chile and is considered a part of ‘Insular Chile’.
• It is located in the south-eastern part of the Pacific Ocean.
• It is a part of the Polynesian Triangle of Oceania. It was designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

‘Easter Island’, recently seen in news, is located in:

(a) Pacific Ocean

(b) Atlantic Ocean

(c) Indian Ocean

(d) Arctic Ocean

Answer