The Petroglyph Site at Papa te Kena, Easter Island

The site known as Papa te Kena lies on the northeast coast of Easter Island, northwest of 'Anakena and east of Hanga 'Oteo. This wild and isolated spot on the cliff's edge is far from the inhabited parts of the island. The site features ruins of ancient structures, a large cave, and areas of papa (smooth lava flow), some of which contain petroglyphs. There is an extensive tidal pool on the edge of the ocean. Along with various crew members, I worked on this site in 1981, 1982, and 1986 as part of a study of the island's petroglyph sites. Although Mulloy (1965) and William Ayres (1975) also worked at this site they did not note the rock carvings or, if so, failed to mention them. The papa is in poor condition making it difficult to see the designs, and it is possible they were simply overlooked.