Final answer:
Rapa Nui is also known as 1. Easter Island, famous for its monumental moai statues carved from volcanic rock by the Rapa Nui people, reflecting their advanced stone-carving skills and cultural practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rapa Nui is also known as 1. Easter Island. It is famed for its moai, monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people from volcanic rock. These statues are more than just notable archaeological artifacts; they represent an extraordinary feat of human ingenuity and cultural expression.
Carved approximately around 1400 CE and each weighing an average of 14 tons, these figures have sparked significant interest regarding how they were transported and placed across the island. The tallest moai even stands at a record height of ten meters and weighs over 80 tons, displaying the impressive craftsmanship and dedication of the Rapa Nui people.
The moai were carved from volcanic tuff and situated on platforms called ahu. Each of these statues faced inland, serving as vigilant guardians of the ancestors who watched over the people and their land. Today, threats such as climate change and rising sea levels pose new challenges to preserving these iconic figures on the highly remote Polynesian island.