Row of moai statues on Easter Island - Stockfoto

Easter Island, also called Rapa Nui, is most famous for its large moai statues that were carved by native peoples between 1250 and 1500. The island is also considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site and much of the island's land belongs to the Rapa Nui National Park. The production and transportation of the 887 statues are considered remarkable creative and physical feats. The tallest moai erected was almost 10 metres (33 ft) high and weighed 82 tons. Almost all moai have overly large heads three-eighths the size of the whole statue.Some moai had pukao (or topknots) on their heads; these were carved out of red scoria, a very light rock from a quarry at Puna Pau. Red itself is considered a sacred color in Polynesia. The added pukau suggest a further status to the moai.