Marae Taputapuatea

Marae Taputapuatea is a large marae complex located on the eastern coast of Raiatea, in French Polynesia. The site features a number of marae and other stone structures and was once considered the central temple and religious center of Eastern Polynesia. The marae complex is positioned at the end of a peninsula that juts into the lagoon surrounding Raiatea, and it includes several marae with different functions. The complex is an exceptional testimony to 1,000 years of Mā'ohi civilization and is characterized by its traditional landscape, which includes forested valleys, a sacred mountain, and a mix of endemic and imported species. The marae was a place of learning where priests and navigators from all over the Pacific would gather to offer sacrifices to the gods and share their knowledge of the genealogical origins of the universe and deep-ocean navigation