The engineering problem
Most moai were carved at Rano Raraku and moved to ceremonial platforms. Transport required controlling tall, fragile stone bodies over uneven ground.
Why road statues matter
Transport moai have broad bases, forward lean and centres of mass compatible with upright movement. Fallen statues on slopes show patterns expected when upright transport failed.
The full-scale test
A 2013 study moved a precisely shaped 4.35-tonne replica using alternating side ropes and a rear stabilising rope. Eighteen people moved it 100 metres in about 40 minutes.
Limits
No experiment proves a universal method. Different weights and gradients may have required variations. A 2026 flotation analysis also found palm-log raft transport physically implausible.
Organisation and pukao
A 2025 quarry model identified 30 production zones, supporting multiple kin-based workshops. Separate work on red-scoria pukao supports rolling and ramp emplacement.
Research record
Lipo, Hunt & Rapu Haoa (2013), walking moaiLipo et al. (2025), quarry productionHunt & Lipo (2026), raft viabilityHixon et al. (2018), pukao transportThe statues probably did walk
Direct answer: Upright transport by rope-controlled rocking is the best-supported explanation for many road moai. Statue geometry, centre of mass, road-fall patterns and a full-scale experiment fit the method. The evidence does not prove every statue used exactly the same technique.
Upright rocking explains transport geometry, road distribution, fall direction and successful full-scale movement better than rival models. The heaviest statues remain an open question.