Excavations of the bodies have been going on for many years, you can find out more from the Easter Island Statue Project. It's generally accepted that the statues were made sometime between 1250 and 1500 AD. There is controversy surrounding why the bodies are buried. Was it time and erosion, or were they buried on purpose? Aliens? The soil surrounding the bodies for so long has preserved interesting carvings (petroglyphs, or rock markings)...
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© Easter Island Statue Project

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© Easter Island Statue Project
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© Easter Island Statue Project
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© Easter Island Statue Project
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© Easter Island Statue Project
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© Easter Island Statue Project
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© Easter Island Statue Project
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© Easter Island Statue Project
Easter Island Statue Project.