In Hawaiian and other Polynesian cultures, a shrine, altar, or sacred platform made of stacked stone, often used for religious or ceremonial purposes.
From Hawaiian and broader Polynesian languages, 'ahu' refers to stone structures with spiritual significance. The word appears across Pacific island cultures with similar meanings, showing ancient shared heritage.
The most famous ahu are the moai statues on Easter Island—these massive stone platforms served as spiritual centers and burial sites, and archaeologists are still discovering new ahu hidden by jungle growth.
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