The Rapa Nui people were surely masters of innovation when it came to moving their colossal Moai statues across Easter Island, a remote speck in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, part of Chile. One popular theory suggests the statues were “walked” to their platforms, with teams of people using ropes to rock the statues back and forth, inching them across the island.
Other accounts propose the use of rollers and sledges. The Moai were placed on logs or sleds and dragged across the rugged terrain. In areas with steeper slopes, ramps and levers likely helped lift and position the statues.
Some believe the Rapa Nui followed coastal paths to make the journey smoother. Regardless of the method, moving these massive statues was no simple task. The skill and precision involved demonstrate the Rapa Nui’s extraordinary ingenuity, a challenge that continues to intrigue and inspire researchers and historians today.
