Rano Raraku, the quarry from which the maoi were carved, may be the single most amazing site on the island. Standing randomly about the slope of the volcanic cone from which the moai were carved were dozens of moai of different shapes and forms, all facing in different directions. Some were on their backs and some were broken, but most were upright and all looked finished. In the walls of the volcano were not only cavities from which the moai were carved and removed, but dozens of moai in various states of completion but still connected to the rock. There are moai that were only outlined in the rock, moai which had been carved around, but still firmly in the rock and moai only connected by their keel. Some of the moai in the rock are obvious but others could be seen only after carefully looking at the rocks. There are moai carved upright, sideways, upside down and everywhere you look there is another moai that you didn't see a moment ago. It is because there are so many moai in various stages of production that archeologists feel that they are certain about how the statues were carved.

The moai in this photograph is lying on its back on the top rim of the crater. The photograph was taken looking back towards the lake in the middle of the crater and northward towards the landscape beyond.