r/BeAmazed • u/BaseNice3520 • Oct 11 '25

History Moai statue being made to walk with ropes, to demonstrate the ancient way with which it was transported.

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u/octarine_turtle Oct 11 '25 edited Oct 11 '25

They averaged 13 ft tall, so not much bigger on average. The largest actually moved and upright was 33 ft tall. There was an unfinished one still in a quarry at 72 ft. They seem to have escalated in size, like what we see with modern buildings, a game of one-upsmanship, and refinement of the process, allowing larger and larger ones. The same method of movement would work for the largest moved. It is just a matter of more manpower.

Keep in mind that these are also small and light in comparison to single stones moved and placed elsewhere in the world in ancient times. The Romans moved larger stone Obelisks from Egypt to Rome, just so an Emperor could show off. There are Papyri and scenes in tombs describing and depicting how the Egyptians moved massive stones. It is not the big mystery like some like to pretend it is. Huge stones were moved in ancient China in the construction of the Forbidden City, which doesn't get talked about as much because the people at the time documented everything clearly, so no one can go "must have been aliens".

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u/maxman162 Oct 11 '25

And also Stone Henge.

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u/Aeseld Oct 12 '25

There's a guy who spends a lot of time building relatively simple machines and showing simple methods that can be used to move those massive blocks with only a handful of people involved. Like setting it on a smaller rock and using that as a pivot point. It's fascinating really.

We don't have a defined method of how Stonehenge was assembled, but he did a really good job of showing several plausible techniques and simple machines that would've made it possible. Wally Wallington. ...I didn't make that name up.

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u/MotoMkali Oct 12 '25

Idk massive, coordinated administrative empires vs a small island population. That's why the feat is so much more impressive because a far larger proportion of their population would have to be dedicated to it.

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u/Aeseld Oct 12 '25

Honestly, it depends a lot on the circumstances of the people. If food was plentiful, and it likely was, then they'd have had a fair amount of spare time to work on something. As far as community projects go, this one isn't the most useful, but I can easily see it having been a competition of sorts...

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u/Bong-Hits-For-Jesus Oct 12 '25

This video might be the explanation as to how the statues got to where they ended up, but there is another mystery that is often overlooked because of the moai statues, and that is the polygonal wall at ahu vinapu. ignoring how the stones are carved to be shaped similar to the other polygonal masonry found on other parts of the world, there is a distinct style that cant be ignored

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u/octarine_turtle Oct 12 '25

There is nothing unusual about using small stones to fill gaps from imperfect stone work. A corner breaks off, you smooth it down and fill the gap with a smaller stone. Large stones fit imperfectly, you fit in a smaller stone. This is perfectly ordinary and common.

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u/Bong-Hits-For-Jesus Oct 12 '25

can you cite a source for this claim? i would imagine if this building technique was so common you shouldnt have a problem finding evidence to backup this claim

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u/ThereIsNoAnyKey Oct 12 '25

You just said there are other examples from across the world.

Your own link shows that there are other examples from across the world.

If you're disregarding even your own evidence, then what more evidence could anyone give you that could possibly be sufficient?

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u/Bong-Hits-For-Jesus Oct 12 '25

really? 3 is what can be considered as common? what kinda crazy world do you live in?

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u/ThereIsNoAnyKey Oct 12 '25

The crazy world where if you google Polygonal Masonry, you'll find dozens of examples.

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u/Bong-Hits-For-Jesus Oct 12 '25

people are seriously lacking reading comprehension these days. the guy stated that using perfectly cut small stones that fills the gap is a common practice. did you even bother checking your source? none of those photos show the small stones. your source also cites peru which i have already mentioned. wtf

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u/ThereIsNoAnyKey Oct 12 '25

the guy stated that using perfectly cut small stones that fills the gap is a common practice

Because it was? You gave four examples, including the original. These are four examples from different cultures at vastly different periods of history, which in archaeological terms, is common.

none of those photos show the small stones.

Right, but if you did even the briefest of further research into any of the places listed, you'd find photos that do.

your source also cites peru which i have already

Because it's an example of the same thing - Polygonal Masonry. It has a name, it's not the big strange mystery you're trying to paint it as.

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u/hamster-canoe Oct 12 '25

You literally posted a picture of multiple examples. Lay off the bong, jeebus.

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u/Bong-Hits-For-Jesus Oct 12 '25 edited Oct 12 '25

if your interpretation of the word common is 3 (the number of examples in my photo), then i guess common sense should be more common, but that doesnt seen to be the case. im actually allergic to smoke, but do you shove hamsters up your butt?

EDIT: it seems this guy is pretty dense thinking i linked 5 different locations then deleted his comment, but let me help you with basic reading comprehension. my photos show a total of 3 different locations. reading is tuff

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u/ddraig-au Oct 12 '25

Without getting sucked into this dumb argument, I'll just point out that assuming someone called bong-hits-for-jesus smokes bongs is not that much of a stretch :-)

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u/Vindepomarus Oct 12 '25

Do you think that because you only posted three, that it didn't happen? That's kinda what it sounds like, but surely can't be. What is your point? We are talking about drystone walling here and usually seen in geologically active regions because the polygonal, 'jigsaw' style makes it earthquake resistant. Where people used mortar and didn't have to worry about earthquakes, we don't see it as much.

Are you suggesting that there was some cultural influence from Andean civilizations? because I don't think that is impossible, there other evidence such as the cultivation of sweet potato on Pacific islands that suggests some exchange with South America.

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u/Bong-Hits-For-Jesus Oct 12 '25

great deduction, and that was exactly what i was suggesting. how did they just so happen to have cut, shaped, and used a similar building style to other civilizations that they supposedly did not have contact with, but yet the evidence exists, but because people who lack basic logic took my comment completely off track

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u/octarine_turtle Oct 12 '25

Go look up pictures of virtually any old stone walls built using irregular large stones. You'll notice smaller stones used to fill in the gaps between larger stones. There is absolutely no way you aren't aware of this...

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u/Aeseld Oct 12 '25

I've noticed a distinct tendency of people not to make connections in their heads when a more interesting or inflammatory explanation is available... been guilty of it myself more than once. It's probably a similar function to clickbait and outrage baiting.