“The statues walked,” Easter Islanders say. Archaeologists are still trying to figure out how—and whether their story is a cautionary tale of environmental disaster or a celebration of human ingenuity.
Researchers Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo test a new theory that suggests how ancient Easter Islanders may have used ropes to “walk” the moai to their platforms. Mystery of Easter Island, a new NOVA-National Geographic special, airs Wednesday, November 7, at 9 p.m. ET on PBS. Check your local listings.
Edited from Easter Island
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Fantastic. Even more fantastic would be the idols walking uphill on non-metalled surfaces. A more rigorous test than this is required to establish the idea.