Easter Island archaeologists uncover full bodies of Moai statues

Easter Island's famous Moai statues, long thought to be just heads, have been discovered to have full bodies buried underground. Archaeologists found that sediment and rock accumulated over centuries, burying the lower portions of the statues. This natural process concealed the torsos and waists of many of the iconic figures. The Easter Island Statue Project excavated two Moai, revealing their complete forms. The statues, carved from volcanic tuff between 1100-1500 AD, represent deified ancestors and sometimes feature petroglyphs on their backs.