Study Confirms Moai Walked Upright with Ropes

A multidisciplinary study by researchers from Binghamton University and the University of Arizona, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, found that Easter Island’s moai were transported upright in a rocking, zig‑zag “walking” motion using ropes rather than dragged prone. Using 3D modeling, physics analysis and field experiments, the team identified distinctive features—wide D‑shaped bases, a slight forward lean, and specially shaped roads—that likely made the statues stable for side‑to‑side rocking, consistent with Rapa Nui oral traditions. To test the theory they built a 4.35‑ton replica and, with 18 people and a few ropes, moved it 100 meters in 40 minutes, demonstrating the method’s energy efficiency and greater speed compared with earlier roller/cart hypotheses. The results suggest small teams could have transported nearly 1,000 moai, carved mainly from Rano Raraku, across miles of hilly terrain between roughly the 13th and 17th centuries. Lead authors Carl Lipo and Terry Hunt say initiating the rocking is the hardest part but once underway the motion requires surprisingly little force, underscoring the ingenuity of the Rapa Nui people.