A team of 18 researchers was able to move a life-sized replica of a moai statue over 300 feet in just 40 minutes using only ropes.

A recent study may have solved the mystery behind how the Indigenous people of Rapa Nui were able to move Easter Island’s moai statues onto their ceremonial platforms.

Archaeologists say the statues were “walked” into place by “remarkably few” people using ropes. The researchers used physics, 3D modeling, and even a life-sized replica to finally solve the decades-long mystery.

How The Moai Statues Were Moved Across Easter Island

The new study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science , proposes that the people of Rapa Nui pulled off the impressive feat by moving the statues in a zig-zag motion. By studying 3D models, the researchers determined

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