Easter Island statues. Half-buried moai statues on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the South Pacific. These megalithic statues were carved from volcanic rock by the islanders from 400-1500 AD. Around 1000 statues were carved, with about 100 of these re-erected by archaeologists. As here, many remain on the slopes of the Rano Raraku crater, ready to be moved around the island from where they had been carved out of the rock. They are now buried in the soil. The statues range between 3 and 12 metres in height and weigh up to 85 tonnes. Carving and erection ceased as deforestation led to the total collapse of the island's culture and ecosystem.