Was Thor Heyerdal's Kon Tiki voyage an unintentional decoy to discovering the true origins of the distinctive yet silent statues of Easter Island? In December of 1862 eight ships approached a volcanic island located in the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean. This was the year that the fate of the island's beleagured population was sealed; a population that had evolved in cultural isolation to produce works of art that have become one of the wonders of the world.
The birdman cult festivities were held at one of the most scenic spots on the island, 'Orongo, located on a narrow ridge between a 1,000 foot drop into the ocean on one side and a deep crater on the other.
The most sacred area at 'Orongo is called Mata Ngarau, where priests chanted and prayed for success in the annual egg hunt-and seemingly also carved the petroglyphs.
Orongo Narrow ridge separating the sea and a deep crater
ORONGO. The sacred site at 'Orongo has a cluster of basalt boulders perched on the rim of a 300-meter cliff. Here, every rock is covered with carvings, most of them portraying birdman.
The view is from the site looking out to sea where three small islets can be seen. The two larger figured in the birdman cult ceremony.
The famous birdman image (below) from 'Orongo, Easter Island. This figure is a combination of a human being seen in profile with the head, beak, and gular pouch of a frigate bird. The majority of these motifs are carved in bas relief so that they stand out clearly, using the effects of light and shadow to enhance the form.
Orongo View from 300-meter cliff
The famous birdman image (above) from 'Orongo, and (left) a crouching birdman stands out in bas-relief
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