The Easter Island “Heads” Have Bodies

[TruckDriver]

   Holy Crapola!!! 

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2LQL1r/www.worldsstrangest.com/mental-floss/the-easter-island-"heads"-have-bodies/

November 8th, 2011

Maybe this isn't a newsflash to anyone but me, but, um, the Moai "heads" on Easter Island have bodies. Because some of the statues are set deep into the ground, and because the heads on the statues are disproportionately large, many people (myself included) tend to think of them as just big heads. But the bodies (generally not including legs, though there is at least one kneeling statue) are there — in many cases, underground. What's even more interesting — there are petroglyphs (rock markings) that have been preserved below the soil level, where they have been protected from erosion. This research report has been making the rounds; it discusses recent progress by The Easter Island Statue Project to uncover, study, and catalogue two statues. It includes (among the dry details of the research) a day-by-day journal of the work, as well as remarkable photographs showing the petroglyphs and team members excavating. Above is an image from a previous excavation (source unknown) that shows you the scale of the statues, and how deep they were buried. (Note: visitors are prohibited from climbing on the Moai; the expedition pictured above appears to predate the EISP and the current practice of conservation.)

For more on the Easter Island statues, read more about the EISP, read their extensive research reports, and check out the Wikipedia page on Moai (which also discusses the fairly well-known fact that many of the statues used to have hats or possibly topknots, known as pukao). Also interesting is the back story of archaeology on Easter Island (also known as Rapa Nui); apparently the island has been the subject of archaeological research for 119 years.

[mrsskip68]

Thats pretty interesting. Thanks for sharing. 
Lisa

[Fred]

It's absolutely amazining what these people with their primitive tools managed to achieve isn't it? And think how long it must have taken. (mind you, they did have all the time in the world back then.........no jobs to go to)
The mind boggles.

[Bob T]

Fairly interesting stuff , Thanks TD

Lots of early world civilisation groups like the ancient Celts out here, predating the Maori fleet canoes from Haiwaki by many centuries
Have a browse if you feel inclined, also some early USA history on there

http://www.celticnz.co.nz/
or
http://www.celticnz.co.nz/articles.html


Is it just me or are the guys standing in the excavations exceeding tall? Especially the guy at the bottom

It's absolutely amazining what these people with their primitive tools managed to achieve isn't it? And think how long it must have taken. (mind you, they did have all the time in the world back then.........no jobs to go to)
The mind boggles.

Slavery. Gets shit done , big time 

[bull]

It's absolutely amazining what these people with their primitive tools managed to achieve isn't it? And think how long it must have taken. (mind you, they did have all the time in the world back then.........no jobs to go to)
The mind boggles.

And they didn't have the internet to keep them busy with so many important tasks.

[doctor4766]

It's absolutely amazining what these people with their primitive tools managed to achieve isn't it? And think how long it must have taken. (mind you, they did have all the time in the world back then.........no jobs to go to)
The mind boggles.

Absolutely.
Here's another place that'll blow your mind. (from a trip a couple of years ago)

Unfortunately even when I rotated it in photobucket it still wants to post landscape in here.

edit. Thanks to whoever fixed that for me.

[BigBlackDodge]

You drove there? Wow?!?!

Looks like they cut a ladder along the sides for access to the top? (all the little holes)


BBD

[hemi68charger]

It is amazing to see how much sediment accumulation has occurred over time........

[doctor4766]

You drove there? Wow?!?!

Looks like they cut a ladder along the sides for access to the top? (all the little holes)


BBD

Actually no, that was just a quick editing job putting a Charger in there lol
Lucky to get a camel in there.

But you're right about those holes looking like ladders.
Did you know it's origins date back to the 6th century BC?
Definately worth a look if you ever get the chance.
Those Easter Island statues are now also on my list of things to see before I die.
Thank for the info TruckDriver 

[PocketThunder]

It's absolutely amazining what these people with their primitive tools managed to achieve isn't it? And think how long it must have taken. (mind you, they did have all the time in the world back then.........no jobs to go to)
The mind boggles.

Absolutely.
Here's another place that'll blow your mind. (from a trip a couple of years ago)

Unfortunately even when I rotated it in photobucket it still wants to post landscape in here.

edit. Thanks to whoever fixed that for me.

Where is this place?  Sorry i only know it from Indian Jones.

[Dino]

It's absolutely amazining what these people with their primitive tools managed to achieve isn't it? And think how long it must have taken. (mind you, they did have all the time in the world back then.........no jobs to go to)
The mind boggles.

Absolutely.
Here's another place that'll blow your mind. (from a trip a couple of years ago)

Unfortunately even when I rotated it in photobucket it still wants to post landscape in here.

edit. Thanks to whoever fixed that for me.

Where is this place?  Sorry i only know it from Indian Jones.

It's in Petra, Jordan.  It's called Al Khazneh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Khazneh

I'd like to go there some day.

[Brads70]

interesting! 

[Mike DC]

 
Indiana Jones & his father really made a mess of that place in "Last Crusade" when they found the Holy Grail inside.  I wonder if that 900yo knight is still living inside it today. 

[Dino]

 
Indiana Jones & his father really made a mess of that place in "Last Crusade" when they found the Holy Grail inside.  I wonder if that 900yo knight is still living inside it today. 

He fell to the ground after yielding that two ton sword.  Maybe all he needed was a cup of coffee to get back on his feet though....

[TheGhost]

It's absolutely amazining what these people with their primitive tools managed to achieve isn't it? And think how long it must have taken. (mind you, they did have all the time in the world back then.........no jobs to go to)
The mind boggles.

Absolutely.
Here's another place that'll blow your mind. (from a trip a couple of years ago)

Unfortunately even when I rotated it in photobucket it still wants to post landscape in here.

edit. Thanks to whoever fixed that for me.

Did you find the holy grail?

[doctor4766]

Yeah I did.
It's parked in my garage 

[Fred]

It is amazing to see how much sediment accumulation has occurred over time........

My thoughts exactly. Every time I see an excavation sight and just how deep everything is buried with the passing of time I'm blown away.  I mean I can understand it with the pyramids............all that sand and wind but in places where the earth is firm and solid (if you know what I mean) well, it's just hard to comprehend.

[Fred]

You drove there? Wow?!?!

Looks like they cut a ladder along the sides for access to the top? (all the little holes)


BBD

Yeah they used to do that to protect themselves from maruaders. From the foot holds they would drop ropes down to ground level so that they could climb up and down but then pull them up again when done so that the enemy couldn't enter.  Just an interesting fact for those who didn't know.