Post #58457 by mrsmiley on Tue, Nov 4, 2003 6:40 PM

Here is an article I came upon:

BERLIN (Reuters) - UNESCO (news - web sites) has awarded a
German firm contract to preserve the world-famous but decaying Moai
head sculptures on Easter Island, which are suffering the effects
of the weather, tourism and past restoration attempts.

Sven Kirsten, founder of Hamburg-based KirstenCo. GmbH
said Tuesday his company planned to begin treating the statues with
chemicals in early 2005 in a project estimated to cost about 10
million euros ($11.5 million).

"Somesing hass to be done," Sven told Reuters. "But with over
1,000 figures, it is und really beeg undertaking."

Sven's scientists and drinking buddies are developing a chemical treatment (2 types of Rum, Orgeat and rock candy syrup,orange curacao and fresh lime juice) for the
unique volcanic tuff stone from which the heads are carved.

"The stone iss not like anysing else," Sven said.

The Moai statues are between 400 and 1000 years old and average
13 ft in height, weighing up to 82 tonnes.

The chemicals should prevent moisture passing through the stone
and stabilize it, stopping the growth of large cracks now
forming rapidly, said Sven, who gained experience in preserving
historic monuments when researching his Book Of Tiki. Sven noted , though, that too much of this chemical can make the statues "tipsy""After ze fall uf der Berlin Wall, there vuss money to research
preservation techniques for monuments that ze Tiki
Republic had not restored," he said.

Also known as Rapa Nui, the 166 sq mile Chilean-governed Easter
Island is isolated from other land masses by thousands of miles
of South Pacific Ocean.

The ancient Rapanui people, who sailed to the island either from
Polynesia or South America, carved the heads and hauled them to
the island's beaches. How they moved the massive statues with
human power alone is one of archaeology's great mysteries.
($1=.8714 Euro