Tahai

Situated near the town of Hanga Roa, the ahu at Tahai sits near a canoe ramp made of rounded beach stones, and was restored by the American archaeologist William Mulloy. Tahai is thought to be among the earliest ahu structures on the island, dating back to AD 690.

The most striking story of Easter Island, however, is its collapse. Easter Island is one of the most extreme examples of deforestation in the world: the entire forest is gone and all tree species extinct. Evidence suggests forest harvesting started around 900 and peaked in 1400.