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last mo.

Peer-Reviewed Study Says Rapa Nui’s Moai Were ‘Walked’ Upright Into Place

The paper links statue design with road geometry to a controlled rocking method rooted in Rapa Nui oral tradition.

Threee Moai Statues of Rapa Nui
A research team including Binghamton University archaeologist Carl Lipo has confirmed via 3-D modeling and field experiments that the ancient people of Rapa Nui "walked" the iconic moai statues. Image Credit: Carl Lipo.

Overview

  • Published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the study by Carl Lipo and Terry Hunt presents an upright, rope-guided transport model for the moai.
  • Using 3D modeling and a 4.35-ton replica, the team showed 18 people could rock a statue forward 100 meters in 40 minutes with two side ropes and a rear stabilizing line.
  • A database of 962 statues, including 62 found along ancient roads, revealed wider D-shaped bases and a forward lean of about 6–15 degrees consistent with controlled vertical movement.
  • The authors report concave roads with gentle 2–3 percent grades that would help limit excessive rocking, with tests indicating steeper segments could be negotiated with tighter steps.
  • The findings draw on Rapa Nui oral histories of ‘walking’ moai and explicitly challenge wooden-roller transport and the ecocide narrative associated with Jared Diamond.