How were the massive Easter Island moai statues actually moved?

The answer

Easter Island's 887 moai statues, carved by the Rapa Nui people between 1250 and 1500 CE, weigh up to 82 tons and stand as tall as 10 meters. For decades, their transport was a mystery. In 2011, archaeologists Carl Lipo and Terry Hunt demonstrated through experimental archaeology that the moai could be "walked" upright using a rocking motion with just 18 people pulling ropes - matching oral traditions that said the statues "walked." The statues' forward-leaning center of gravity and D-shaped bases facilitated this rocking transport from the Rano Raraku quarry. This method explains why fallen moai are found face-down along ancient roads, toppled mid-transport.