THE WALKING STATUES OF EASTER ISLAND

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Now, let’s get the big guy to walk.

The walking stature was demonstrated in the book Easter Island  Easter Island (*).

A statue was constructed out of concrete, 15 feet long. Not as big as many of the statues on the island but served the purpose to demonstrate the process.

Two ropes were attached one to the head and one to the base. With seventeen people on each rope, the rope on the head pulled the statue slightly forward, then the rope attached to the base pulled the entire statue forward. With practice the statue was made to waddle and walk forward.

The process was later tried on an actual statue nine feet tall and weighing 4 or 5 tons. With three men to tilt and five to pull forward, the statue ‘walked’.

Thus, the legend of the walking statues of Easter Island has some validity, but it was not a supernatural event.

(*) Paul Bahn and John Flenley, Easter Island  Easter Island, 1992, Thames and Hudson, pages 141, 142.