Photos: Moais – the giant volcanic rock statues on Easter Island

In this Feb. 2007 file photo, giant volcanic rock statues called Moais are shown on Easter Island in the South Pacific. Easter Island is Earth's most remote inhabited land, a South Pacific speck of volcanic rock so isolated the locals call it "Te Pito O Te Henua," or "The Navel of the World." (AP Photo/La Tercera, File) ( Travel Trip Easter Island )

A tourist takes pictures of Moais monoliths in the Rano Raraku volcano area in Easter Island, 3700 km off the coast of Chile, 12 February 2005. The Chilean island, located in the Polynesian archipelago, has many archeological sites and its Rapa Nui National Park is included on UNESCO's World Heritage Site list since 1995. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( MVD2005021469723 )

Monoliths are seen in the foreground, as La Boudeuse, the three-masted schooner captained by French explorer Patrice Franseschi is anchored in Hanga Roa Otai cove in Easter Island, Chile, 3 February, 2005. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( MVD2005020356727 )

Captain Patrice Franceschi (L), topman Bruno Tomasi (C), and lieutenant Pierre Marcel, of the exploration and research ship La Boudeuse, lead their horses along the hillside of the Rano Raraku volcano during an excursion across Easter Island, off the coast of Chile, 07 February 2005. The three-masted schooner undertakes the second of twelve sailing expeditions around the world with the aim of re-discovering the people of the water. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Par152064 )

Stone statues known as Moais are pictured during the total solar eclipse in Easter Island, Chile, some 4,000 km (2,480 miles) west of the Chilean coast, Sunday, July 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Patricio Munoz) ( Chile Solar Eclipse )

(L to R) The crew of French research and exploration ship La Boudeuse Julia Dudrait, Bruno Tomasi, Captain Patrice Franceschi (2nd R)and Pierre Marcel ride horses in front of the Moais monoliths, in the Ahu Akivi area of the Eastern Island, Chile, 04 February 2005. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Par152063 )

A photo taken 12 February 2005 on the Easter Island, Chile, shows two Moais sculptures including the one that has been restored at right. Mistreated for centuries by tribal wars, pro-slavers and adventurers, the 3800 residents of the island fight to keep their originality coping with the thousands of tourists coming every year. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Par306283 )

A group of tourists visit Moais (background) -- stone statues of the Rapa Nui culture -- on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 9, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1283426 )

Ahu Akivi Moais -- stone statues of the Rapa Nui culture -- are seen on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 13, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1286037 )

Easter island, CHILE: View of 15 Moais (L), arranged on a perfect line over a 100 meters platform, placed in the "Ahu Tongarki" sector of the Chilean Easter Island 13 July 2006. The island received 14 July 2006 about ten monuments of these place restored in Japan during four years of work, with the cooperation of the UNESCO. HO/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd113622 )

A worker repairs a Moais -- stone statue of the Rapa Nui culture -- on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 9, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1283419 )

Tourists take pictures of Moais -- stone statue of the Rapa Nui culture -- on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 9, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1283423 )

Night picture of a Moais --stone statue of the Rapa Nui culture-- on Easter Island, 3,700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 10, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1283700 )

Tourists and scientists prepare their equipment before a solar total eclipse on Easter Island, 3,700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 11, 2010. Hundreds of scientists, tourists and locals were expecting to see from the Easter Island the almost five-minute total eclipse , at the same time of the FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 final. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1284392 )

The sun sets behind Moais -- stone statues of the Rapa Nui culture -- on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 12, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1285280 )

View of a Moais -- stone statues of the Rapa Nui culture -- on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 9, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1283418 )

A group of tourists visit Moais (backgorund) -- stone statues of the Rapa Nui culture -- on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 9, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1283410 )

A worker repairs a Moais -- stone statue of the Rapa Nui culture -- on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on July 9, 2010. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( Mvd1283421 )

Picture taken 12 February 2005 shows a tourist walking behind a platform with seven huge statues (moais in Rapa Nui language), the only ones facing the sea, in Ahu Akivi in Easter Island, 3700 km off the coast of Chile. One of these statues has been handed to Chile's president Michelle Bachelet 06 May 2006 after a 80-year-long trip around the world. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images ( DV40815 )

circa 1955: Stone heads made from volcanic rock face the elements on Easter Island. (Photo by Evans/Three Lions/Getty Images) ( 98t/42/huty/12837/28 )

This August 2012 photo shows the sunset behind the Ahu Vai Uri platform at Tahai on Easter Island. Tahai, within easy walking distance of the town of Hanga Roa, was restored between 1968 and 1970 and features three different platforms. (AP Photo/Karen Schwartz) ( Travel-Trip-Easter Island )

This August 2012 photo shows fifteen moais standing watch at Tongariki on Easter Island. The largest moais on the 720-foot-long platform weighs 97 tons. The site was restored between 1992 and 1996 at a cost of over $2 million, paid for by the Japanese government(AP Photo/Karen Schwartz) ( Travel-Trip-Easter Island )

View of Moais -- stone statues of the Rapa Nui culture -- on the Ahu Tongariki site on Easter Island, 3700 km off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean, on August 12, 2013. GREGORY BOISSY/AFP/Getty Images ( Par7636769 )