Heiau (English spelling)

Japanese: ヘイアウ（英語表記）heiau

A general term for the remains of religious buildings found in the Hawaiian Islands. They are identified by the remains of stone foundations, but they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with surrounding walls, walls open on one side, and foundations stacked in a stepped pattern, and are built in various combinations. Their plans include square, rectangular, circular, and even those that make use of the natural terrain. They are often not constructed in one go, but rather expanded and transformed multiple times. They are often built somewhat away from villages, and their purpose is not thought to be uniform.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

ハワイ諸島において見出される宗教関係の建造物遺跡の一般名称。石積みによる基壇などが残存することによって判明するが，その形態，寸法はさまざまで，囲壁をめぐらすもの，囲壁の一方が開いたもの，階段状に基壇を重ねるものなどが種々の組合せで造られ，平面形も方形，長方形のほか，円形のもの，自然地形を利用したものなどがある。構築も1度でなく，何度にもわたって増築，変形を行うことも多い。村落のなかではなく，やや離れて造られることが多く，その目的も単一とは考えられない。

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