The ceremonial village of Orongo, in the south of the Rapa Nui National Park, is considered among the most spectacular archaeological sites in the world.
It is perched on a narrow ridge, with the crater of the Rano Kau volcano on one side and cliffs that fall 300 meters to the sea on the other. The site contains dozens of petroglyphs and stone houses dating from the Huri-Moai period (1680–1867) of Easter Island’s history. These stone houses were built into the topography of the hill and were self-contained and dry-laid featuring sod roofs.
The ceremonial center of Mata Ngarau in Orongo, home of the Tangata Manu (Birdman) cult that succeeded the moai culture, was the site for the annual ceremony that represented the transfer of power between competing clans.
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