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to the platforms. Many of the images in the workshops are of huge proportions, but the largest one on the island lies on one of the central terraces in an unfinished condition and measures 70 feet in length, 14½ feet across the body; the head being 28½ feet long. Some of the standing statues are in as perfect condition as the day they were finished. One (Fig. 15) is noticeable from the fact that the head is slightly turned to one side and is known as the "wry-neck," but whether it is the result of accident or design could not be determined.
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FIG. 15. "WRY-NECK" IMAGE, RANA RORAKA |
FIG. 16. THE MUTILATED IMAGE "HIARA," OUTSIDE OF CRATER OF RANA RORAKA |
Another excellent specimen (Fig. 16) of these
remarkable figures stands near the last mentioned
and shows tool-marks around the neck as though an
effort had been made to cut the head off. The
natives call this "hiara" and have a tradition
to the effect that it belonged to a powerful clan
who were finally defeated in war, and that their
enemies had made an attempt to destroy the statue
by cutting of the head. The story may be based
only upon the mutilation, but the chances are
that it is founded upon fact.
Nothing of
importance was found by digging about the images
or in the workshops except broken stone implements
which had been used by the builders. In one of
the quarries we found the only trace of sculptured
figures in the vicinity. These emblems were
carved upon a smooth rock over a half-finished
image.
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