Easter Island (Rapa Nui)—Rano Raraku

The archaeological sites of Rapa Nui (also known as Easter Island) are protected within Rapa Nui National Park, an open-air museum that has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995. One important site is Rano Raraku, a volcanic crater located in the southeastern coast of the island. Between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, Rano Raraku was the main quarry for the massive monolithic sculptures, known as moai, created by the Rapa Nui people. The moai, measuring up to 10 meters (33 feet) high, were carved directly into the volcanic stone, then detached and transported to be erected along the coastline. Close to 900 moai were carved in Rano Raraku; 396 still remain at the site in various stages of work.

Rano Raraku is one of the most important sites on Rapa Nui. The hundreds of iconic moai scattered throughout the site are remnants of an ancient culture that collapsed by the end of the seventeenth century though a succession of catastrophes. After years of archaeological studies in the island, the extraordinary monolithic statues remain an alluring sight for visitors. The rapid and progressive increase in tourism in this once remote island has prompted the need for better tourism management and protective measures that will ensure the safekeeping of its archaeological marvels.