Easter Island coastline, satellite image. North is at top. Easter Island (Rapa Nui), an island in the south Pacific Ocean, was inhabited by a Polynesian civilisation that carved numerous large stone statues (called moai). This moai carving period took place some time after the 4th century, and continued until the 15th century. A set of moai are at centre, at the rear edge of the large beach. Image obtained by the Ikonos satellite on 6 December 2003.