# Interactive map of Rapa Nui quarry **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 21, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889 "2026-01-21T18:27:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/1 "2026-01-21T18:27:15Z")
A new [3D interactive map](https://www.arcgis.com/apps/instant/3dviewer/index.html?appid=233cada52d434e9fa4d1741c92e308da) of the main quarry on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) has been published. The map consists of thousands of drone photos stitched together. You can move around, rotate and zoom the map to explore the details of the quarry. There is also an interview with one of the main researchers [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctGz81oPNGI), in which he discusses the history of Rapa Nui and a lot of details about the moai, why they were made, how they were carved and moved, etc. I was unaware of the sheer number and size of the statues. He says there are about 600 completed moai around the island, and an additional 400 unfinished ones in the quarry. Some of the unfinished ones are much bigger than any of the finished ones and probably could never have been moved even if they were finished. The map has the known statues marked, but he suspects there are others not yet identified which might be discovered by just poking around in the map. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/2 "2026-01-21T18:44:14Z")
Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/3 "2026-01-21T19:35:44Z")
Real damn cool! TY ---
**Author:** ![Frilly\_Heck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90ced4/32.png) [@Frilly\_Heck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frilly_Heck)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/4 "2026-01-21T19:40:57Z")
Wow, this is really cool! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/5 "2026-01-22T02:58:34Z")
Super cool! ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/6 "2026-01-22T03:31:13Z")
Very nice. Was there for four days in February. Was on my bucket list since reading Aku-Aku in grade school, late 60s. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/7 "2026-01-22T03:50:00Z")
I went recently for the same reason. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/8 "2026-01-22T04:30:29Z")
Very cool! If you look at most sat views, like on Google Earth/Maps, all that area is in shadows. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interactive-map-of-rapa-nui-quarry/1026889/9 "2026-01-22T04:34:53Z")
Really cool. Thanks for sharing!