Scientists Confirm Rapa Nui Legends: Moai Statues ‘Walked’ to Their Locations
The mystery of the Moai stone heads has eluded onlookers for centuries — and now, researchers say they finally know how they got there.
The statues, which were carved and placed on the South Pacific’s Easter Island between the 12th and 17th centuries, have puzzled travelers since the first European contact made there in 1722.
Though the structures appear to only be heads, many of them have full bodies that have been concealed by sediment over the centuries.
According to Rapa Nui legend, the heads ‘walked’ to their spots — and the new study sheds light on that foundational story.
In a study recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, researchers Carl P. Lipo and Terry L. Hunt argue that the heads were ‘walked’ vertically — not horizontally — from a nearby quarry.
The scientists analyzed 962 statues to reach their conclusion. Using 3D modeling and statistical mapping, Lipo and Hunt found that the heads’ D-shaped bases and forward lean made rope transport possible.