Rano Raraku

Rano Raraku is a volcanic crater on Easter Island, which is a remote island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Easter Island is famous for its monumental statues called moai, and Rano Raraku is a significant archaeological site on the island.

Rano Raraku served as the main quarry for the moai statues. The soft volcanic tuff found at Rano Raraku was the ideal material for carving the statues. The majority of the moai on Easter Island were carved at this location, and some of them remain in various stages of completion around the crater.

The unique aspect of Rano Raraku is that it provides insight into the process of moai production.

Rano Raraku serves as a vivid archive of moai design elements and technological advancements, housing a staggering 887 of these iconic statues. Situated within the Rapa Nui National Park, a designated World Heritage Site, Rano Raraku lends its name to one of the seven distinctive sections encompassed by the park.

The Birthplace of Moai

Rano Raraku Quarry is the birthplace of the iconic Moai statues that dot the landscape of Easter Island. Carved from the soft volcanic tuff of the crater, these monolithic figures were meticulously crafted by the Rapa Nui people, who invested tremendous time and effort in bringing their ancestral visions to life.