Easter Island: archaeology, ecology, and culture

Abstract

Since Easter Island (Rapa Nui) was first discovered nearly 300 years ago, its people, culture and monolithic statues have been seen as an unsolvable riddle. At the heart of the so-called mystery stand the gigantic moai. How were they moved? What do they mean? Over more than 12 years, nearly 1000 statues have been measured, drawn, and photographed by Jo Anne Van Tilburg and a team of colleagues. In this book the author draws on the insights that have been gained, to examine Rapa Nui prehistory in the context of new understandings of ecology and culture. The latest methods of statistical analysis, computer imaging and robotics programmes are brought to bear upon the perplexing question of statue transport, and the author offers a logical model of how a near 14-ton statue could have been moved almost the entire length of the island.

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