New 3D scans reveal how Easter Island's moai statues were carved and moved

Easter Island, known as Rapa Nui, is famous for its towering stone statues called moai. New research now sheds light on how these iconic figures were carved and organised within the island’s main quarry, Rano Raraku. The Rano Raraku quarry contains 426 moai in various stages of completion. It also holds 341 trenches for block carving and 133 empty spaces where statues were removed. The largest moai, Te Tokanga, was never erected and remains in the quarry.

The site has 30 separate quarrying areas, each showing different extraction and finishing methods. This suggests individual clans, not a central authority, managed the moai production. Around 1,000 moai were erected across the island between the 13th and 17th centuries, with most standing about 4 metres tall and weighing 12.5 tons.

Researchers used photogrammetry to create the first high-resolution 3D model of the quarry. The findings indicate the quarry was not abandoned but likely paused due to disruptions brought by European contact, such as disease. The study supports the idea of a decentralised and adaptable society on Rapa Nui. The moai were likely a collective effort by independent clans rather than a single ruling power. These discoveries help rewrite the history of Easter Island as a community that thrived through cooperation and resilience.