Archaeologists finally crack mystery of how Moai statues were erected ...

[SVPete]

Archaeologists finally crack mystery of how Moai statues were erected on Easter Island

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/archaeologists-finally-crack-mystery-of-how-moai-statues-were-erected-on-easter-island/ar-AA1O4nws

A new study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, suggests that the Rapa Nui villagers used rope and “walked” the giant statues in a zig-zag motion along carefully designed roads.
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In the new study, scientists created high-resolution 3D models of the Moai statues and identified distinctive design features, including wide D-shaped bases and a forward lean, which would have made them more likely to be moved in a rocking, zig-zagging motion.

Researchers put the theory to the test by building a 4.35-ton replica Moai with the distinct “forward-lean” design.

The team could transport the Moai 100m in just 40 minutes with just 18 people – a marked improvement over previous vertical transport attempts.
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“What we saw experimentally actually works. And as it gets bigger, it still works. All the attributes that we see about moving gigantic ones only get more and more consistent the bigger and bigger they get, because it becomes the only way you could move it,” he said.

Roads of the Rapa Nui discovered on the island add credit to the theory.

Erich Von Daniken hit hard. Obviously, no one observed and recorded what was actually done, but at least a real-life, full scale, test was done.

[enslaved1]

Saw an internet anecdote that claimed the Moai told early European visitors the statues had "walked" to their placements, which was brushed off as primitive superstitious hogwash by the civilized explorers.  I find it entertaining when we discover those "primitive" people were much smarter and more creative than we want to give them credit for.