The Easter Island Heads Have Bodies

[Num7]

Maybe this isn’t a newsflash to anyone but me, but, um, the Moai “heads” on Easter Island have bodies. Because some of the statues are set deep into the ground, and because the heads on the statues are disproportionately large, many people (myself included) tend to think of them as just big heads. But the bodies (generally not including legs, though there is at least one kneeling statue) are there — in many cases, underground. What’s even more interesting — there are petroglyphs (rock markings) that have been preserved below the soil level, where they have been protected from erosion. This research report has been making the rounds; it discusses recent progress by The Easter Island Statue Project to uncover, study, and catalogue two statues. It includes (among the dry details of the research) a day-by-day journal of the work, as well as remarkable photographs showing the petroglyphs and team members excavating. Above is an image from a previous excavation (source unknown) that shows you the scale of the statues, and how deep they were buried. (Note: visitors are prohibited from climbing on the Moai; the expedition pictured above appears to predate the EISP and the current practice of conservation.)

For more on the Easter Island statues, read more about the EISP, read their extensive research reports, and check out the Wikipedia page on Moai (which also discusses the fairly well-known fact that many of the statues used to have hats or possibly topknots, known as pukao). Also interesting is the back story of archaeology on Easter Island (also known as Rapa Nui); apparently the island has been the subject of archaeological research for 119 years.

Read the full text here: The Easter Island “Heads” Have Bodies - Mental Floss

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[shane]

The moai of Rapa Nui do indeed have bodies. The ones that you see sunk into the ground did so naturally over time. Most of these, like the one pictured above, are located near the original quarry because they were likely too heavy to move. The moai that were moved were erected atop long, low stone platforms called ahu, facing inward away from the sea. Many had large topknots of red scoria placed atop their heads. They also had eyes that could be removed, stored and replaced, possibly for special occasions. Current consensus is that the moai and ahu complexes served as a kind of "costly signals" testifying to the power of local clan groups.

Archaeologists Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo published a recent book on this subject that is very good, called The Statues That Walked. They have an upcoming National Geographic/Nova documentary based on their research. If you're interested in the history of the Rapanui people, who are still around today, Steven Roger Fischer's Island At The End Of The World is an excellent source.

 

[Inanna]

Tsunami put em under, same time as part of the Indus region.

 

[countrcultur]

Tsunami put em under, same time as part of the Indus region.

Yes, this seems more likely then they sunk over time. Also, do they claim to know that they walked those things with ropes like in that video? There would probably be some very specific rope burn like grooves if they did.

 

[BlastTyrant]

Well my problem with the walking method they showed is that the statue they moved isnt a quarter of the weight of the statues on the island so not only would the man power have to be phenominal but so would the nessisary rope needed in modern times we wouldn't even consider moving a object the size of the statues with rope. I seen a article on yahoo about them doing this and everyone calling it solved makes me shake my head at people lol.

 

[notoverrated]

Well my problem with the walking method they showed is that the statue they moved isnt a quarter of the weight of the statues on the island so not only would the man power have to be phenominal but so would the nessisary rope needed in modern times we wouldn't even consider moving a object the size of the statues with rope. I seen a article on yahoo about them doing this and everyone calling it solved makes me shake my head at people lol.

well whats wrong with the idea of there just being more people to move the bigger ones with bigger rope ( not saying in fact this is how they did it but it could make sense)

 

[Rosco..Jones]

I don't believe they would have sunk that much over the centuries. I can't see a tsunami washing up dirt to bury them. I feel that they were partially buried when first put in place. The manner in which they were moved, is as much a mystery as with other megalithic structures.

 

[Justinian]

More importantly.. Who is that chick in the orange sweater? I'd like to discuss this with her.