EASTER ISLAND
There are few areas in the world where the potential for studying the growth and development of the complex stratified social and political systems is as great as among the islands of Polynesia. The analytical advantages of Polynesia are due to the often-cited "laboratory like" conditions that isolated islands provide. On the southeastern edge of the Polynesian Islands lies the most remote, inhabited spot on earth Papa Nui, the Polynesian name for Easter Island. Located 1,600 miles southeast of Tahiti and 2,300 miles west of Santiago, Chile, this small island is an open-air archaeological museum. For years the ancient stone statues (moai) have fascinated and mystified the curious from around the world. Unraveling the reasons for the building of these monuments and the cause of their destruction has occupied the investigative and reasoning powers of historians since their 1722 discovery by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen.

During upcoming work program, besides continuing research in archeology, we plan to launch a new program related to the preservation of Easter Island's cultural heritage, a deep worry in the minds of many islanders caused by the encroachment of new ideas, morals and values, as the island's isolation is lost.

Since 1977 archaeological teams have studied and recorded over 1,000 statues and over 30,000 structures such as house sites, ceremonial monuments, petroglyphs, cave pictographs, burial and refuge caves, agricultural enclosures, adze and obsidian quarries. Still over 25 percent of the Island remains un-surveyed and less that 100 structures have been excavated.

EASTER ISLAND - BACKGROUND

There are probably few areas in the world where the potential for studying the growth and development of the complex stratified social and political systems is as great as among the islands of Polynesia. The analytical advantages of Polynesia are due to the often-cited "laboratory-like" conditions that isolated islands provide. On the southeastern edge of the Polynesian Islands lies the most remote inhabited spot on earth... Easter Island, Located 1,600 miles southeast of Tahiti and 2,300 miles west of Santiago, Chile, Isla de Pascua (as it is known in Spanish) is an open-air archaeological museum.

For years the ancient stone statues (Moai) have fascinated and mystified the curious from around the world. Unraveling the reasons for the building of these monuments and the cause of their destruction has occupied the investigative and reasoning powers of historians since their discovery.

EASTER ISLAND - THE EPRF

EASTERN PACIFIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION
(a non-profit organization)

The purpose of the Eastern Pacific Research Foundation (EPRF) is to support archaeological and historical research of a vast area of the Pacific Ocean known as Eastern Polynesia which includes the archipelagos of the Society Islands, Marquesas Islands, Austral Islands, Gambier Islands and the Tuamotu Islands, plus the isolated islands of the Pitcairn group and especially Easter Island.
By a system of grants the EPRF supports local research organizations and individuals enabling them to further their research in these areas and develop specific projects, general research programs, scientific conferences and publications, including the publishing of accumulated data from past research.  Since the inception of the Foundation over $100,000 from grants and purchases have been disseminated to various island programs.  These funds are from dedicated members who are interested in finding and preserving the histories of the Pacific Islands.  Of the contributions sent in, every dollar has gone to support archaeological programs.  No salaries or administrative expenses whatsoever are paid in the office.
Also, support is given to ongoing research projects by organizing expeditions by groups of volunteers who help on a specific project by working and donating funds.

EASTER ISLAND - VOLUNTEERING

Expeditions for volunteers are an integral part of the Foundation program. With participation limited to

a maximum of 10 people per trip, the opportunity for real "hands on" experience is exciting. Costs to volunteers are approximate actual trip costs with a small amount added to help pay for the expedition leaders, resident archaeologists and logistic expenses.

EXPEDITION VOLUNTEERS

A large part of the Foundation's program is conducted through the indispensible efforts of expedition volunteers. These volunteers normally go for 10 to 20 days to work in pre-planned archaeological programs.

They pay their own tax-deductible expenses and provide an invaluable service.
This "hands on" experience is personally rewarding to individuals who, during the expeditions, live and work on the islands.

Not everyone can make a volunteer trip. However, many people are interested in the worthwhile legacy of finding and

preserving these ancient historical treasures; in that case the Foundation welcomes donations to aid in the work, which are tax deductible. Since the Foundation's inception in 1989, it has provided more than $100,000 in grants and equipment to field workers. All donations go solely to further the Foundation's work; none of the funds go into administrative salaries.

Please consider spending your next vacation on Easter Island.  If you are ready to be a part of this exciting research into the past as a legacy for the future, please e-mail the EPRF at mail@rapa-nui.org for further information.  We look forward to working with you!

EASTER ISLAND - PROJECTS

AHU TONGARIKI -
A SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED PROJECT

Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure on Easter Island and was the center of the powerful eastern confederation of tribes. It was built over a long time span, probably over more than 1,000 years and during the late phase of the prehistoric culture. Its platform measures 540 feet long. The central platform is 150 feet long and has 15 large statues (Moai) with their topknots (Pukao) on top of it.

All the Moai are very large and with topknots measure about 45 feet in height (including the platform on which they stand), or the height of a five story building. Without doubt one of the most impressive monuments from the past and the largest in Polynesia. In 1960 a tsunami or large tidal wave struck the coast of the island and almost completely destroyed this monument which had its Moai toppled prior to western discovery, scattering its building blocks, basalt slabs, Moai and Pukaos over an area of over five acres.

Due in part to the efforts of the Eastern Pacific Research Foundation and under the direction of resident archeologist Claudio Cristino (pictured, in cap), a completely restored Ahu Tongariki was dedicated during the 1996 Tapati festival. This culminated a three-year multi-national funded effort of over twenty five native craftsmen, archaeologists and numerous volunteers. Completely restored, Ahu Tongariki not only serves as a reminder of past glories but a beacon for future exploration and restoration projects.

PROJECT HITIRAU - AN UPCOMING PROJECT
Historical and Ethnohistorical Information
Oral traditions, recorded by Katherine Routledge in 1914, mention that some time in the past a Rapa Nui islander living in Vaihu decided to enhance the appearance of his ancestors' deified stone images by placing a large red scoria stone cylinder upon the statues heads, plus a frieze of red scoria slabs on top of the frontal slabs of the altar.
These cylinders were carved out of an outcrop of red scoria located in the interior of the crater of a small cinder cone

named Hitirau and from there they were rolled across the island upon the same roads that were used to transport the stone statues. Once they arrived at their destination, they were cut down and the topknots were built out of them together with the scoria friezes. The color red symbolizes sacredness in all of Polynesia and apparently on Easter Island, as in other islands of Eastern Polynesia, it was the custom for high personages to wear embroidered red feather or stained bark cloth cylindrical headdress as symbols of rank.
Tradition states that soon after this monumental ceremonial center with its nine statues was inaugurated, all of the other important ramages of the island felt envious of its images and were obliged to rebuild their altars and replace their statues with new ones that carried such adornments.
These headdresses, called "Pukao" were all quarried from the Hitirau cinder cone, because no other place was found upon the island where such a fine grained scoria was available. Today the ancient quarry is know as Puna Pau and has been visited by tens of thousands of people interested in the unusual statue feature.
We believe the site was abandoned by its carvers near the end of the

seventeenth century AD, when the carving of the large megalithic stone statues ceased at the Rano Raraku quarry. Until 1932, close to forty cylinders of scoria were abandoned in its proximity and another four were abandoned when still in transport.
Excavation Goals
The quarry has never been excavated so nothing is known about when the natives started carving the topknots or for how long the quarry was exploited. Neither do we know who worked there, how they lived or how the Pukao were carved and taken out of the crater. As this quarry was exploited at the same time the Rano Raraku quarry was used to carve statues, any information obtained during Project Hitirau will permit us to learn more about the time sequence of statue building and possibly shed new light upon the causes that made them abandon statue making.
As the ancient quarry lies buried by a deep layer of eroded scoria, mechanical excavation equipment is needed for the initial phase of the dig to remove the large quantities of earth and rubble that cover the ancient workshops. This project will employ eight local workers, two archaeologists, one cartographer and EPRF volunteers. Upon completion of the excavation, we will build an access trail so visitors are able to tour the site, thus enhancing its scenic and archaeological interest. We are considering building several all weather, multilingual interpretative display panels showing our findings and their significance.
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