Overview

• The paper by Carl P. Lipo and Terry L. Hunt in the Journal of Archaeological Science concludes the statues were transported upright using a controlled rocking motion enabled by deliberate design.
• A 4.35‑ton full‑scale replica was moved 100 meters in about 40 minutes using three ropes in a coordinated side‑to‑side pull that produced a walking effect.
• Reports list 18 or 40 participants for the same trial, and the authors model typical transport crews of roughly 20–50 people for many statues.
• Survey data from nearly 1,000 moai, including 62 abandoned along routes, show wide D‑shaped bases and a forward tilt that optimize stability and forward progress during rocking.
• Ancient routes from the Rano Raraku quarry have a concave profile about 4.5 meters wide that would guide and stabilize upright transport, challenging roller and mass‑deforestation explanations.