14 tons. That is the weight of approximately two Tyrannosaurus Rex’s, or 8 normal sized cars. That is pretty heavy! Fourteen tons is also the approximate weight of just ONE out of the 1,043 heads on Easter Island (not to mention, one of the heads on the smaller side). This phenomenon has always intrigued me, which is why I decided to explore the mystery of Easter Island through the virtual field trip on PBS.

Virtual field trips are an excellent way to take students on an immersive learning experience without leaving the classroom, or in my case, explore a destination that interests you!  In recent years, many organizations have developed virtual field trips that allow students to explore different parts of the world from the comfort of their own computer screens. One such virtual field trip is available on the website below:

The one that I chose, is a virtual field trip that takes you on a journey to explore the history and science behind Easter Island. The trip is led by archaeologist Jo Anne Van Tilburg, who has been studying Easter Island for over 30 years! She takes students on a tour of the island, explaining its history and the mysterious stone statues that the island is famous for. Even if you didn’t know they were from Easter Island, most people have come to know what the statues look like anyways! They are actually called “Moai” and they are extremely popular! 

The virtual field trip begins with an introduction to the Island. It provides an overview of the island’s geography, climate, and history. From there, the tour takes students to the Rano Raraku quarry, where they believe the stone statues were carved. Van Tilburg explains the process of carving the statues and the significance of the different shapes and sizes. 

From there, the tour takes you to Ahu Tongariki, which is the largest ceremonial platform on Easter Island! Here, you can see the Moai that were once placed on top of the platform. Van Tilburg explains the significance of the platform and the rituals that took place there. The site even includes a video of what it looked like to raise the statues into position!

The rest of the locations in the field trip follow the path of erecting these mysterious statues, as well as the ancient civilization that resided on the island. My favorite fact from the field trip is that when the research team tried to raise the statues using the same materials and tools that they used in ancient times, they struggled miserably! It is a wonder how people worked back then! The statues on Easter Island have a similar mystery to them as the Great Pyramids of Egypt and how they were so perfectly built. The website also includes interactive activities that allow you to examine the statues more closely and learn about the science behind how they were created.

As a bit of a history nerd, exploring things like this is always fun for me. Especially when it comes to the mysteries of the past of mankind. This virtual field trip gave great insight on a mystery that has always intrigued me. I can now pester everyone I know with random information about Easter Island and its vast mysteries! 

Thanks for Reading!

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