One of the mysterious, imposing stone monoliths -- some standing 5 m tall and weighing 14 tons -- on Easter Island (Chile), carved by ancient Polynesians out of volcanic rock. Easter Island, which lies on the Nazca Plate close to the East Pacific Rise, is moving eastward toward South America by seafloor spreading at the fastest rate known in the world (see text). (Photograph by Carlos Capurro, U.S. Embassy, Santiago, Chile.)

"Understanding plate motions"

URL: https://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/monolith.html
Last updated: 05.05.99
Contact: bhanks@usgs.gov