<P> Many archaeologists suggest that `` ( the ) statues were thus symbols of authority and power , both religious and political . But they were not only symbols . To the people who erected and used them , they were actual repositories of sacred spirit . Carved stone and wooden objects in ancient Polynesian religions , when properly fashioned and ritually prepared , were believed to be charged by a magical spiritual essence called mana . '' Archaeologists believe that the statues were a representation of the ancient Polynesians ' ancestors . The moai statues face away from the ocean and towards the villages as if to watch over the people . The exception is the seven Ahu Akivi which face out to sea to help travelers find the island . There is a legend that says there were seven men who waited for their king to arrive . </P>
what was the purpose of the easter island statues
symbols of authority and power repositories of sacred spirit