Easter Island statues: mystery behind their location revealed

[Judi Lynn]

Nicola Davis
@NicolaKSDavis
Thu 10 Jan 2019 14.17 EST Last modified on Thu 10 Jan 2019 19.25 EST

Location of statues was based on nearby fresh water and other resources, says US study


The huge stone figures of Easter Island have beguiled explorers, researchers and the wider world for centuries, but now experts say they have cracked one of the biggest mysteries: why the statues are where they are.

Researchers say they have analysed the locations of the megalithic platforms, or ahu, on which many of the statues known as moai sit, as well as scrutinising sites of the island’s resources, and have discovered the structures are typically found close to sources of fresh water.

They say the finding backs up the idea that aspects of the construction of the platforms and statues, such as their size, could be tied to the abundance and quality of such supplies.

“What is important about it is that it demonstrates the statue locations themselves are not a weird ritual place – [the ahu and moai] represent ritual in a sense of there is symbolic meaning to them, but they are integrated into the lives of the community,” said Prof Carl Lipo from Binghamton University in New York, who was co-author of the research.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jan/10/mystery-of-location-of-easter-island-statues-revealed