Excavations of the bodies have been going on for many years, you can find out more from the Easter Island Statue Project. It’s generally accepted that the statues were made sometime between 1250 and 1500 AD. There is controversy surrounding why the bodies are buried. Was it time and erosion, or were they buried on purpose? Aliens? The soil surrounding the bodies for so long has preserved interesting carvings (petroglyphs, or rock markings)..
This one below has a sailing ship carved onto it…
The first picture depicts what is earliest known “tramp stamp”. Now instead of being trashy they are retro.. funny how things work out like that
it’s not a ‘tramp stamp’ – that’s a g-string underware – like sumo style
I’m not saying that it’s aliens but.. it’s aliens.
– guy from the history channels’ Acient Aliens
How dare they disturb them. Savages they are.
We have become a civilization of destruction.
They were peaceful with themseves as they were. They were beautiful as they were. Why rape them ? They represented the Heritage of a civilization which wanted them there.
The Island inhabitants, regarless from where we assume, would be coming from, put them there to represent something perhaps spiritual they believed in, then… Perhaps for protection or any reason which was not meant for us to decide. Why disrespect them?
Do you believe they ignored that nature would forge them the way nature has forged itself for millions of years? Look at the bottom of there heads, how flat it is for them to meet her or her to meet them.
For our pure selfishness, we are killing Mother Nature,the one who has and continues to give us life…and then wander why… Do we think we are smarter that her ? Many species are disappearing from our own hands and ignorance, and we cry… then we decide we should “protect” them and bring them back. Do we have this right ? What hypocrisy, what ugliness.
Leave these monuments alone. They have been resting there for a long long time. Don’t disrobe them. Don’t humiliate them.
Please, live them alone.
Sadly, we have become barbarians again.
Science is design to create, to better Man’s life, preserve the very nature who kept us alive for thousands of by his pure
I don’t think the heads are a symbol of nature. Just think of all the native species of plants and animals, evolving on the rock for millions of years, that were driven to extinction when humans came to the island. Yes, humans destroy nature, but we’ve been doing it for thousands and thousands of years. No human civilization is free from these practices – some are just more numerous, and so their effect is more pronounced.
Wouldn’t the original culture that removed the rock from the earth to form gigantic statues also be considered a barbarian???
They raped the land just as much to build the stuff as we do to discover it.
Natural things didn’t make these rocks… So the raw materials had to have been mined out in some fashion… that = earth destruction…
My point is that mining the rocks likely didn’t lead to any species going extinct. But coming to the island and living there probably did. Similarly, the major damage we do to the earth’s species right now is through habitat destruction so that we can eat. Not even the most destructive, despicable mining operation is half as bad as what humans do to fill our belly.
No that is creation.
This was my answer to Jay not to Tyler.
And by the way Jay, I would not venture into calling the statues “the stuff” if I were you but again this just might be a cultural difference between us…
also chances are the only reason they are covered is because the Island they are located on has 3 volcanoes…
so years of eruptions(of any size) will contribute to the changing of landscape.. therefore, possibly burying the statues up to the neck…
for the longest time we thoughts the heads were being represented as just that… heads… but, now it is found that the original proposed purpose of what we thought knew is possibly completely different.
I’m all for excavating… because it’s real history… something the government can’t edit in the textbooks of children.
Have you ever seen a lava field? In person? It doesn’t look like dirt, I can tell you that.
These statues were clearly buried with dirt — eroded stone. NOT lava.
Sheesh!
I agree
Please live them alone, admire them as they are.
Sadly, we have become barbarians again
I hate to ask but do you know the meaning of the word excavate? Do you understand this is a scientific endeavor where measures are taken to protect and preserve? Do you understand the meaning of the rape? too many today use that word lightly and I believe someone who has been raped whould be very upset to see you use the term to describe the act of digging up some dirt and putting it back. We will ask one more question and wonder if you know the meaning of the word barbarian. I doubt those working on this project would love to be lumped together with blood thirsty, beserker nomads.
Wow. Can ANYONE commenting on this story spell?
Yehss
Nexst kwestion?
This is not aimed at you. I enjoyed your question. But I think you’ll enjoy this: http://bit.ly/6BZAlV
I apologize for my earlier comments.. I was up all night and just amazed by this article.
I really know how to spell.
I THINK “CELT” IS A LITTLE TOO EARTHY FOR LACK OF A BETTER TITLE – NO-ONE IS RAPING THESE STATUES – THIS STORY & THE EXCAVATION IS TEACHING US TO APPRECIATE THE PAST – NO MATTER WHO OR HOW THE STATUES WERE CREATED – WE NEED TO ADMIRE THE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE WORLD – AND WHAT THEY ACHIEVED.
I didn’t read all of the comments, but didn’t anyone else think “holy crap, that is so cool!”
Do some more research:
http://www.eisp.org/
Obviously, some of you have misanderstood my previous post and take some words and thoughts in a too literal and simplistic manner. You must try to understand the meaning of the overall post not piece by piece or you will loose the context. This is also why some of you have negatively responded to it.
Leave the stones where they are and the way they are. They represent something.. We seem to believe that we need to know everything about anything. We won’t.
Some of you also seem to have confounded my comments about nature and the integration of the stone into the ground they are in, the same way a volcano eruption burries villages.I was not talking about evolution. The earth is constantly changing, nature is evolving unfortunately unnaturaly and not always is the right direction. We have had much to do with that. This last century, Man has been very successful at distroying nature and the earth in general. Do you deny that? Polar bears are loosing the inhabitat, Albatros are being killed and the list goes on. We are responsible for it, it is NOT natural evolution and the natural elimination from evolution. Yes we are still barbarians we just don’t want to face it.
If you think it is so great to will it be Stonehedge next and sanctuaries etc etc..
Well… may be the stones meant something to people then BUT not only to them. Perhaps they mean something for people very alive NOW. Perhaps it is an insult to them, perhaps it violates their beliefs. Why can’t you understand that and respect them!
LEAVE THE STONES ALONE…
A very alive Celt……
NO, I get it and understand your point. Unfortunately, you just come across as ignorant and scientifically illiterate. We can only advance as a culture by learning as much as we can from our past and do so in a manner that preserves these things for future generations to enjoy and speculate about. I do not deny our ability to destroy this earth with the blink of an eye but I also recognize if we don’t learn and expand our knowledge we will succumb to errors and follies of closed minded people who stand and scream “leave the stones alone”. I hope everything is spelled right.
By the by Celt, if you do a little research you will find the people of the island are on board with this. They aren’t just running around desecrating culturally important things.
Dear Dick Riffick The Great:
Yes I am an ignorant and scientifically illiterate. Perhaps I should also apologize to you for expressing my thoughts and opinions. I did not realize I was having an exchange with God’s gift to Earth,it’s ultimate words and know-all.
Dear HoRiffick The Great.I am humbled. The magnitude of your intelligence, your modesty,aptitude to talk to ignorants like me with such respect and kind words are the caracteristics of a Scientific Genius.
I beg of you to grant me your pardon.
I never asked for you to apologize for your thoughts and opinions. It is your ability to open your mouth and express them that allows others to see a different view and be able to say it is absurd for the following reasons, just like others have done here with the comments you have made. I would like to actually thank you. By continuing to rant you have proven the that truly inept people can’t look beyong their own noses.
OMG Do you really think I was apologizing to you… :)))))
In reference to your quote “I never asked for you to apologize for your thoughts and opinions. It is your ability to open your mouth and express them….”
That’s right. I have the ability to open my mouth and express my thoughts and opinions. I was under this understanding:
“The most basic component of freedom of expression is the right of freedom of speech. The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government.”
But you indeed seem to have a serious problem with allowing others (like me for example) to have a different view and respect what they believe in.
In addition, I think perhaps you are not quite fit to make youself pass for some sort of scientific expert…. True scientists are always open-minded and value others views, opinions and beliefs, whether they agree or not with them. This is how they can enlarge the spectrum of their mind and research and allow them to move forward. They appreciate the perspectives of others and as a matter of fact they actually seek them. They never see the need to insult them for seeing a subject matter from another angle for ex:calling them ignorants or scientifically illiterate or inept etc etc True scientists are much bigger than that….. “Know-it-all” do not belong in the field of Science. Generally speaking, a”know-it-all” clearly shows the sign of a very narrow minded person and his lack of intelligence. A true Scientist would try to figure out why and how another person came from then study it.
When you quoted “By continuing to rant you have proven that truly inept people can’t look beyong their own noses” Were you talking about yourself …. ????
Perhaps you can go around the corner to your local precinct and apply for a job as a Sarg… you will be able to always be right there….only listen to yourself talk and really feel big !!
Have a good day..I am getting off this message board now I have other things to do…so feel free to have your pompous last word. LOL LOL LOL (then get off the cactus you are sitting on and go chill your pricky a..s)
I knew you weren;t really apologizing to me, it’s just that you are really bad at sarcasm. It’s okay you said the things you did. it is tough for someone who doesn’t understand or is afraid to fall back on childish behavior, cactus references and emoticons. I have really learned a lot from some of the other people who have posted here and read a lot of imformative links posted here. It’s just that you didn’t provide anything constructive or enlightening to the discussion and that is frustrating.
Sorry, I’m busy doing some things and poorly phrased my last post. What I meant to say was…It’s okay you said the things you did. Sometimes when people don’t understand or are afraid they fall back on childish behavior, cactus references and emoticons. I’ve been reading a lot about the amygdalae.
“The most basic component of freedom of expression is the right of freedom of speech. The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government.”
You realize Dick Riffick the Great and “the government” are two different things right?
hahahhaha… celt was hilarious
yeah the point you are making is very different…
the destruction of species and the discovery/excavation of stone objects don’t really have anything to do with each other…
so you are telling me that part of the reason the Bald Eagle is endangered is because we undercovered some ancient artifact in the ground…
No…. Species destruction and nature destruction happen when careless measures are put into place… for example, pesticide killing off bird populations…
uncovering the statues beneath these heads isn’t damaging anything on the ecological level..
Right on!
true but it may damaged something on a spiritual level. Did you think of that ?
If it did something on a spiritual level I have a feeling the native people of the island would not be on board with it. Thanks for trying though.
I agree with you Celt to some degree. I have never been to Easter Island, but I have always been fascinated with the mysterious status and have it in my bucket list as a must place to visit. When I heard about the excavation and the recent findings, I was both excited and enthralled! However looking at the excavation photos, I couldn’t help but feel sadness for these captivating monuments; to me, for centuries they have captivated the world with their mysteries and in all the photos taken of them they look proud, strong and daring, a beauty of the past long gone. Now looking at the excavation photos, they look naked and vulnerable:( Don’t get me wrong, I am all for truth and knowledge, but I think in order to respect the past, we sometimes need to respect it’s mysteries.
Thank you MJ for sharing your thoughts. You have the sound of a profound person. Your comments also show that you have the wisdom and ability to appreciate beauty as is and respect the past.
Every living thing on this planet has an internal imperative to produce, replicate, expand — and in that process, usually destroy as well. It is only because everything else is try to “biggering” themselves that things stay in check — they reach an equilibrium of sorts.
Then the disruptors come along. An ice age. An ELE like the meteor in Central America 65 million years ago. A pole shift. Etc.
It takes time to rebalance. However, Man is probably one of the greatest and most constant disruptors, be cause we are insatiable in our actions on this built-in imperative.
One way in which we express it is to learn more. About as much as we can. Sometimes it is to take advantage of something or someone else. Sometimes it is just to feel superior.
But one thing that has been happening during the technological revolution is that we have been getting better at learning about things without destroying them.
We can use imaging to learn about internal structures of plants and animals without dissecting them (and killing them in the process).
We have also been able to image fragile artifacts and remains of living things without ever opening their containers or removing the encasing rock.
Now, this wasn’t done here because of the size and location of the statues. Most of this high-tech imaging requires a lab.
But someday archeologists will be able to explore the depths and keep them intact.
Just be patient and don’t overact to the stumbles along the way….
Bastion, thank you for participating in the conversation. I agree with your point of view.
I believe that archeologists have brought us great sources of knowledge and that their work is indeed very valuable to Man.
What I argue about is how far they allow themselves to go in the name of science. It seems that there are no longer boundaries. It saddens me. In our quest for knowledge we have open many doors which should have been kept closed and protected, we gave way to many of Man’s demons.
Like you, I hope that someday, archeologists will be able to make further discoveries with the help of advanced technology, imaging and other non invasive methods.
Meanwhile, I hope that the frenzy will stop, that the art of discovery in its purest form will not be soiled by vulgar curiosity.
I hope that Man will keep enough wisdom to not feel the need to frantically intrude or invade everything at reach without concerns.
From personal experience,I have a special and spiritual connection with ancient stones.I was born close to them, on their land… on our land….
It is why I have so strong feelings and opinions on what is happening to the stone statues of Easter Island.
As hard as it is to describe, when standing near a megalithic stone, a dolmen, my mind and body fill with peace. In warmer days, the sun rays passing in between them,full of energy are empowering.
I feel the majestuous stones making me become part of them.
The thought of one of them being disturbed is so frightening it shakes me to the core.
The sight of the stone heads being separated from the ground they proudly and peaceful rested on is heart breaking. The intrusion and revealing of their covered bodies make me so notious. There is no word strong enough to describe.
All the people standing around and worse inside the hole with the statues with their cameras, posing like hunters after the kill, disgust me like vermine. At least they could have the decency of publishing photos of the statues alone.
This is not science, it is lack of conscience
. . . I firmly believe the world should have remained flat ! ! !
if it means something to someone now, wouldn’t they be standing there and saying ‘stop sniffing around my statue – it’s mine and you are bothering me’
The people of Rapanui (Easter Island) are of Polynesion descent and their language is closely related to the Maori of New Zealand and the Cook Islands (Raratonga). Their facial features are more Maori than Mayan.
I agree… and the glyphs look a whole lot like early body art (as someone else on this string suggested) Very interesting they are just being dug up after all these years…I always wondered if they had bodies…
Yeah I agree.. maybe I was a little off on my earlier comment… but, maybe the ideals/cultures/the-know-how-to-build-giant-statues…
maybe it is all passed through the different cultures… from beginning to the present…
I was looking at google earth… and I’m not to familiar with the time period in question… but, you gotta stop and think that the land masses of then, aren’t what they are today…
so it is very, very plausible in my opinion that these cultures: Maori, Mayan, Raratonga interacted and possibly shared and traded items, ideas, mythologies, methods, culture, tradition, breeding….
I mean look at it… A curious adventurer from the Yucatan penisula heads south along the border of Central America… eventually, the come to present-day Chile… where Easter Island and another island(with purposed Mayan lore) are pretty much straight shot from it’s coast into the pacific…
New Zealand is on the same path aswell… I strongly believe something was passed along through the different cultures or societies of the times… and possibly the people could be similar in relation and/or origin… yeah, there is DNA testing… but, scientist’s still don’t even know 10% of the stuff that DNA can tell them.
through an open ocean the distance from the coast of chile is closer than the island of New Zealand… anything is possible.. that’s what so great…
but regardless, I still believe there are Mayan ties into this. and those ties could go even further… meaning an even greater ancient people taught the mayans what they know… who knows… I’m so damned enthralled by this.
Perhaps the statues represented those who left Easter Island to travel on to eg New Zealand, and were planted deeply in the earth to make sure they (or their progeny) returned home safely.
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