The transportation of monumental Moai statues from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) has been debated for over a century. Based on a systematic analysis of the 962 MOAI, with a focus on 62 road statues, combined with 3D modeling and field experiments, Binghamton University Professor Carl Lipo and Dr. Terry Hunt of the University of Arizona demonstrated that small groups of Zig-Zag Nui elders likely used a hastily designed rope and ‘Walked’ them Giants statues in a carefully designed zig-zag Motion Motion Rope.
Carl P. Lipo and Terry L. Hunt confirmed via 3D modeling and field experiments that Rapa Nui elders “walked” Moai statues. Image credit: Carl Lipo.
Professor Lipo and his colleagues had previously demonstrated via experimental evidence that large statues “walked” from their quarries to ceremonial platforms using a vertical, rocking motion, calling into question a theory that the statues were moved lying on wooden devices.
“Once you get it moving, it’s not difficult at all – people pull with one arm. This conserves energy, and it moves very quickly,” Professor Lipo said.
“The hard part is getting it to tip over in the first place. The question is, if it’s really big, what would it take?”
“Are the things we saw experimentally consistent with what we would expect from a physics perspective?”
To explore how a larger statue might move, Professor Lipo and Dr Hunt created high-resolution 3D models of the MOAI and identified distinctive design features – wide D-shaped bases and a skinny front – that would make them more likely to be moved in a swinging, zigzing motion.
Putting their theory to the test, they built a 4.35-ton replica Moai with the distinct “foreground” design.
With just 18 people, they were able to transport the Moai 100m in just 40 minutes, a marked improvement over previous vertical transport attempts.
“The physics makes sense,” Professor Lipo said.
“What we’ve seen experimentally actually works. And as it gets bigger, it still works.”
“All the attributes we see about moving the gigantic ones just become more and more consistent the more and more they get, because that becomes the only way to move it.”
The roads of Rapa Nui added support for this theory.
Measuring 4.5m wide with a concave cross section, the roads were ideal for stabilizing the statues as they moved forward.
“Every time they move a statue, it seems like they are making a road. The road is part of moving the statue,” Professor Lipo said.
“We actually see them overlapping and many parallel versions.”
“What they’re probably doing is clearing one path, moving it, clearing another, cleaning it up some more, and moving it correctly in certain sequences.”
“So they spend a lot of time on that part of the road.”
“Nothing else currently explains how the moai was moved. The challenge for anyone is to prove them wrong.”
“Find evidence that shows it couldn’t work. Because nothing we’ve seen anywhere disproves that.”
“In fact, everything we see and have ever thought about continues to strengthen the argument.”
“Our research also honors the people of Rapa Nui, who achieved a monumental feat of engineering with limited resources.”
“It shows that the people of Rapa Nui were incredibly intelligent. They understood this.”
“They do it as is consistent with the resources they have.”
“So it really gives credit to these people, saying, look what they were able to achieve, and we have a lot to learn from them in these principles.”
The team’s paper was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.
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Carl P. Lipo and Terry L. Hunt. 2025. The Walking Moai Hypothesis: archaeological evidence, experimental validation and response to criticism. Journal of Archaeological Science 183:106383; doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106383
