This article offers the reader information about Chile and the Easter Island statues that have been uncovered.
The South American continent is a collection of vibrant nations, each with its own distinct cultural identity and Chile is a small country and the closest nation to Antarctica. It runs along a narrow strip of land between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, with an area of close to 757,000 sq km, sharing a border with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east and the Drake Passage to the south. The Inca civilisation ruled this land for thousands of years, until the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century, which changed everything.
Atacama Desert
You can’t visit Chile and not experience the stunning scenery of the Atacama Desert, a plateau desert that receives less rain than polar deserts. Your guide will join you for a 4×4 tour of the dunes, giving you the best photo ops. An area of 105,000 sq km that meets the base of the Andes, with a coastline of 1,600km – there is virtually no rain in this dry region.
The Mysteries Of Easter Island
Easter Island is home to more than 1,000 amazing statues called Moai, which were constructed by the Rapa Nui people. There are several theories as to when the Polynesians first settled on Easter Island. Some believe they arrived around the year 800, while others think it was closer to 1200; either way, the people created a thriving culture and they developed well until the 18th century, when Europeans arrives. There were between 2,000 and 3,000 by this time and deforestation had decimated the agriculture and the people were struggling. For the best Chile vacation packages in 2023, look for a leading South American tour operator, where you can find details on all their Chile tours.
The Statues
There are more than 1,000 stone statues of gods that were carved between 1100 and 1680 CE, according to carbon dating techniques. It was first thought that the Moai were head sculptures, but it was soon discovered they went deep into the ground, ending at the hip area. This is an incredible feat and no one is really sure how they managed to do this with the limited resources and know-how at their disposal. The material is compressed volcanic ash, which was quite easy to work with; even so, to transport and carve all of these statues was indeed a monumental achievement.
Many Stone Chisels
Archeologists have found 1000s of worn stone chisels, which were resharpened 8-10 times before they are unable to use. The big unanswered question is, how did they move these monstrous carvings? One theory is that they carefully rocked the stone, moving corners forward to a rhythm. Only 25% of the statues were erected in place, the rest were laying on the ground in various stages of development.
If you would like to book a guided tour of Chile and Easter Island, Google will take you to the website of an established South American tour operator. It is a 5-hour flight to Easter Island, which is surreal and the following day, you can explore the Moai with your English-speaking guide, which makes all the difference. There is an abundance of bird and marine life and you will enjoy a few boat trips around the island.
Spend a few hours researching Chile and Easter Island before making your booking, find out when the low season is and compare prices. As soon as you can confirm your dates, make your booking, as these Chilean guided tours are incredibly popular.