The sun's rays start to come out.
The sun rises right in the middle of the platform on the 21st of June (solstice). The longest day of the year.
Of course, knowing when the seasons are changing was extremely important for farmers, which is why at least another 15 platforms on the island are infallible inventions of solar power.
Tags: The Ahu Toŋariki Ahu Toŋariki The Ahu Tongariki Tongariki Ahu Tongariki the esplanade Hotu Iti Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure the colossal Moai the giant statues moai sculpture statue platform the Ahu stone cerimonial platform ceremonial platform Easter Island stone masonry Rapa Nui stone masonry stonework the megalithic work archaeological site archaeological complex ceremonial center the largest ceremonial structure Cremation in Rapa Nui crematorium the funerary site cremation ground astronomical orientation a solar observatory the summer solstice the quarry of the Rano Raraku volcano the Lapilli tuff pukao bun topknot of the chieftains the headdress red stone Te Pito O Te Henva The Navel of the World Rapa Nui Easter Island Ilha de Páscoa mana mystical power tupuna the Ma'u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community the Rapa Nui National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site the bay the natural wonders the mythical land Polynesia Oceania Hanga Nui the Pacific Ocean nascer do sol sunrise sunrise at the Ahu Akivi sunup dawn the east road the east coast road Vaihu-Anakena Road the East Coast IPA 2
The sun's rays start to come out.
The sun rises right in the middle of the platform on the 21st of June (solstice). The longest day of the year.
Of course, knowing when the seasons are changing was extremely important for farmers, which is why at least another 15 platforms on the island are infallible inventions of solar power.
Tags: The Ahu Toŋariki Ahu Toŋariki The Ahu Tongariki Tongariki Ahu Tongariki the esplanade Hotu Iti Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure the colossal Moai the giant statues moai sculpture statue platform the Ahu stone cerimonial platform ceremonial platform Easter Island stone masonry Rapa Nui stone masonry stonework the megalithic work archaeological site archaeological complex ceremonial center the largest ceremonial structure Cremation in Rapa Nui crematorium the funerary site cremation ground astronomical orientation a solar observatory the summer solstice the quarry of the Rano Raraku volcano the Lapilli tuff pukao bun topknot of the chieftains the headdress red stone Te Pito O Te Henva The Navel of the World Rapa Nui Easter Island Ilha de Páscoa mana mystical power tupuna the Ma'u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community the Rapa Nui National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site the bay the natural wonders the mythical land Polynesia Oceania Hanga Nui the Pacific Ocean nascer do sol sunrise sunrise at the Ahu Akivi sunup dawn the east road the east coast road Vaihu-Anakena Road the East Coast IPA 2 black and white b&w preto e branco monocromático monochrome black and white photography
The sun became brighter and brighter.
***
The largest ceremonial center on the island:
The history of Tongariki mixes mythological stories, wars between clans and settlements of tribes that date back to the tenth century. In the large esplanade that extends in front of the ahu, there have been remains of boat-houses or hare paenga, old hearths or umu pae and hundreds of petroglyphs engraved in the volcanic rock that reflect the importance of this extraordinary place.
It is believed that Tongariki was the sociopolitical and religious center of Hotu Iti, one of the two great clans that grouped the tribes of the eastern sector of the island. The first human occupation dates from the year 900 AD. and it is related to the first phase of a first ahu. The impressive final monument is the result of a successive series of modifications and extensions, carried out throughout history, which show the technical mastery achieved.
Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure built on Easter Island and the most important megalithic monument in all of Polynesia. It represents the zenith of the sacred constructions called ahu-moai that were developed in Rapa Nui for more than 500 years.
The central platform, whose axis is oriented to the rising sun of the summer solstice, measures almost 100 meters long and with its wings or original lateral extensions reached a total length of 200 meters. During the last final phase of construction of the ceremonial altar, Ahu Tongariki held 15 moai, which made it the platform with the largest number of images of the whole island.
Unfortunately, as happened with the rest of the ceremonial platforms of the island, the moai were knocked down from the ahu during the violent episodes that took place between the different island clans at the time of decadence of the Rapanui culture. It is believed that this period began after 1500 AD. reaching its peak at the end of the seventeenth century.
It is not known with certainty when the statues of the Ahu Tongariki were demolished, but according to the testimonies of the first European navigators who arrived at the island, it seems that these were no longer standing when they arrived at the beginning of the 18th century. However, the place continued to be used as a cemetery until the conversion of the population to Catholicism in the second half of the 19th century.
Tags: The Ahu Toŋariki Ahu Toŋariki The Ahu Tongariki Tongariki Ahu Tongariki the esplanade Hotu Iti Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure the colossal Moai the giant statues moai sculpture statue platform the Ahu stone cerimonial platform ceremonial platform Easter Island stone masonry Rapa Nui stone masonry stonework the megalithic work archaeological site archaeological complex ceremonial center the largest ceremonial structure Cremation in Rapa Nui crematorium the funerary site cremation ground astronomical orientation a solar observatory the summer solstice the quarry of the Rano Raraku volcano the Lapilli tuff pukao bun topknot of the chieftains the headdress red stone Te Pito O Te Henva The Navel of the World Rapa Nui Easter Island Ilha de Páscoa mana mystical power tupuna the Ma'u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community the Rapa Nui National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site the bay the natural wonders the mythical land Polynesia Oceania Hanga Nui the Pacific Ocean the Poike Volcano the Poike volcano the Poike Peninsula nascer do sol sunrise sunrise at the Ahu Akivi sunup dawn the east road the east coast road Vaihu-Anakena Road the East Coast IPA 2
Ahu Tongariki is one of the most stunning locations, situated on the east coast between the Ranu Raraku volcano and the Pacific Ocean.
Ahu Tongariki is the largest ahu on Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Its moais were toppled during the island's civil wars, and in the twentieth century the ahu was swept inland by a tsunami. It has since been restored and has fifteen moai, including one that weighs eighty-six tonnes, the heaviest ever erected on the island. Ahu Tongariki is one kilometer from Rano Raraku and Poike in the Hotu-iti area of Rapa Nui National Park. All the moai here face sunset during the summer solstice.
On the left, the Poike volcano was the first piece of land that emerged from the sea and, together with subsequent volcanic eruptions, formed the present territory of Easter Island. Its somewhat remote and isolated location and its difficult access make Poike a little-visited place.
I went up there by myself.
***
Despite driving 30 minutes in the dark to reach Tongariki.
It's really worth it!
Listening to the waves crashing on the rocks on the coast as you wait for the sun to rise in the east behind the 15 moais on the ahu (ceremonial platform) Tongariki is the best way to start your day on the island.
***
The sun's rays start to come out.
The sun rises right in the middle of the platform on the 21st of June (solstice). The longest day of the year.
Of course, knowing when the seasons are changing was extremely important for farmers, which is why at least another 15 platforms on the island are infallible inventions of solar power.
***
Ahu are stone platforms. Varying greatly in layout, many were reworked during or after the huri mo'ai or statue-toppling era; many became ossuaries, one was dynamited open, and Ahu Tongariki was swept inland by a tsunami.
Ahu Tongariki, one kilometre (5⁄8 mile) from Rano Raraku, had the most and tallest moai, 15 in total.
Tags: The Ahu Toŋariki Ahu Toŋariki The Ahu Tongariki Tongariki Ahu Tongariki the esplanade Hotu Iti Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure the colossal Moai the giant statues moai sculpture statue platform the Ahu stone cerimonial platform ceremonial platform Easter Island stone masonry Rapa Nui stone masonry stonework the megalithic work archaeological site archaeological complex ceremonial center the largest ceremonial structure Cremation in Rapa Nui crematorium the funerary site cremation ground astronomical orientation a solar observatory the summer solstice the quarry of the Rano Raraku volcano the Lapilli tuff pukao bun topknot of the chieftains the headdress red stone Te Pito O Te Henva The Navel of the World Rapa Nui Easter Island Ilha de Páscoa mana mystical power tupuna the Ma'u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community the Rapa Nui National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site the bay the natural wonders the mythical land Polynesia Oceania Hanga Nui the Pacific Ocean the Poike Volcano the Poike volcano the Poike Peninsula panorama nascer do sol sunrise sunrise at the Ahu Akivi sunup dawn the east road the east coast road Vaihu-Anakena Road the East Coast IPA 2
All the moai statues were carved in volcanic tuff from the quarries of the Rano Raraku volcano, located one kilometer northwest. Despite their relative closeness, it is still not explained how they were able to transport to Tongariki these huge giants that have an average weight of 40 tons.
The moai measure between 5.6 and 8.7 meters, being the highest and heaviest (86 tons) the fifth on the right. If at the height of the moai, we add the 4 meters of the back wall and the almost 2 meters of the pukao or headdresses that adorned the head, the complete monument reaches a maximum height of 14 meters.
Formerly all the moai of the ahu carried a pukao on their head, but during the restoration only one could be placed on the second moai on the right. The others, due to the passage of time and the tsunami, were too eroded. On the right side of the platform I saw seven of these huge cylinders carved in red scoria extracted from the Puna Pau volcano.
Tags: The Ahu Toŋariki Ahu Toŋariki The Ahu Tongariki Tongariki Ahu Tongariki the esplanade Hotu Iti Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure the colossal Moai the giant statues moai sculpture statue platform the Ahu stone cerimonial platform ceremonial platform Easter Island stone masonry Rapa Nui stone masonry stonework the megalithic work archaeological site archaeological complex ceremonial center the largest ceremonial structure Cremation in Rapa Nui crematorium the funerary site cremation ground astronomical orientation a solar observatory the summer solstice the quarry of the Rano Raraku volcano the Lapilli tuff pukao bun topknot of the chieftains the headdress red stone Te Pito O Te Henva The Navel of the World Rapa Nui Easter Island Ilha de Páscoa mana mystical power tupuna the Ma'u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community the Rapa Nui National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site the bay the natural wonders the mythical land Polynesia Oceania Hanga Nui the Pacific Ocean the Rano Raraku Volcano Rano Raraku volcano the east road the east coast road Vaihu-Anakena Road the East Coast IPA 2 b&w black and white preto e branco kari Kari bite curves monochrome monocromática black and white photography