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Aku-Aku Eclipse
Easter Island
July 11th, 2010 |
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Ahu Te Pito Kura
2010-07-09 17:45 UTC |
Click images for enlargements. |
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This rock structure along the north coast is called
“The Navel of the World”. According to
legend, the large central stone was brought to the
island by King Hotu Matua with the first settlers
around a.d. 450, and
that it emits mana (spiritual power) to those
who sit on the small rocks and place their hands on
it. I'm not so sure about that, but what is certain is
that the large rock is weakly magnetised: if you move a
compass around its surface, the needle goes crazy.
Inland from the Navel is the Ahu Te Pito Kura platform, with
the largest moai ever transported from the quarry and erected
on a platform. The moai, almost ten metres tall, has toppled
and now lies on its face with its topknot next to it.
This is the back of the platform, facing the sea.
Another toppled moai lies along the back of the platform.
This document is in the public domain.