Editing Moai (section)

===Characteristics===
[[File:Ahu Tahai.jpg|thumb|upright|Re-erected tuff moai at Ahu Tahai with restored [[pukao]] and replica eyes]]
Easter Island statues are known for their large, broad noses and big chins, along with rectangle-shaped ears and deep eye slits. Their bodies are normally [[Squatting position|squatting]], with their arms resting in different positions and are without legs. The majority of the ahu are found along the coast and face inland towards the community.  There are some inland ahu such as [[Ahu Akivi]]. These moai face the community but given the small size of the island, also appear to face the coast.<ref name="Pbs.org" />

====Eyes====
In 1979, [[Sergio Rapu Haoa]] and a team of [[archaeologist]]s discovered that the hemispherical or deep elliptical eye sockets were designed to hold coral eyes with either black [[obsidian]] or red scoria pupils.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Nick |date=15 December 2013 |title=Views on the origin and purpose of the Easter Island statues |url=http://www.humanities360.com/index.php/views-on-the-origin-and-purpose-of-the-easter-island-statues-11596/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630130949/http://www.humanities360.com/index.php/views-on-the-origin-and-purpose-of-the-easter-island-statues-11596/ |archive-date=30 June 2014}}</ref> The discovery was made by collecting and reassembling broken fragments of white coral that were found at the various sites. Subsequently, previously uncategorized finds in the Easter Island museum were re-examined and recategorized as eye fragments. It is thought that the moai with carved eye sockets were probably allocated to the [[Ahu (Easter Island)|ahu]] and ceremonial sites, suggesting that a selective Rapa Nui hierarchy was attributed to the moai design until its demise with the advent of the religion revolving around the [[tangata manu]].