Easter Island is famous for its giant monumental statues called moai, built about 800 years ago. The volcanic rock used for the moai came from the Rano Raraku quarry. Archaeologists have created an interactive high-resolution 3D model of the quarry to learn more about the processes used to create the moai. (You can explore the full interactive model Here.) According to paper Published in the journal PLoS ONE, the model shows that the moai formed numerous independent groups, likely family clans, rather than a centralized control system.
“You can see things that you couldn't actually see on the ground. You can see tops and sides and all sorts of places that you just couldn't get to.” said co-author Carl Lipo Binghamton University. “We can say, 'Here, come and look at this.' If you want to see different types of carvings, fly around and look at something there. We document what really needs to be documented, but in a way that is truly comprehensive and shareable.”
Lipo is one of the leading experts on Easter Island moai. In October we reported on Lipo experimental confirmation– based on 3D physics modeling and new field tests to recreate this movement – Easter Islanders transported the statues in an upright position, and workers used ropes to “guide” the moai onto their platforms. To explain the presence of so many moai, it has been suggested that tens of thousands of people once lived on the island..
Recent field tests of Lipo have shown that the “walking” method can be implemented using a much smaller number of workers: 18 people, four on each side rope and 10 on the back rope, to achieve a side-to-side walking motion. They coordinated their efforts quite effectively and moved the statue forward 100 meters in just 40 minutes. This is because the method relies on the basic dynamics of a pendulum, which minimizes friction between the base and the ground. It is also a technique that uses a gradual increase in amplitude, which assumes a deep understanding of the principles of resonance.
