Pacific Film Series presents presents a preview of Mystery of Easter Island

November 1, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Mānoa Campus, Art Building auditorium

For centuries, scientists have tried to solve the mystery of how the colossal stone statues of Easter Island moved. Now there’s a new theory — and it rocks. The multi-ton behemoths traveled up to 11 miles from the quarry where most of them were carved, without the benefit of wheels, cranes, or even large animals. Scientists have tested many ideas in the past, figuring that the Islanders must have used a combination of log rollers, ropes, and wooden sledges. Now a pair of archaeologists have come up with a new theory: Perhaps the statues, known as moai, were “engineered to move” upright in a rocking motion, using only manpower and rope. Terry Hunt of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and Carl Lipo of California State University Long Beach have worked closely with Rapanui archaeologist Sergio Rapu to develop their idea. They’ve observed that fat bellies allowed the statues to be tilted forward easily, and heavy, D-shaped bases could have allowed handlers to roll and rock the moai side to side.

The full program “Mystery of Easter Island” will air on November 7 at 9:00 PM on PBS Hawai‘i.

A book signing of The Statues That Walked by Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo will follow the presentation of the film excerpt. Books will be available for purchase for $23, a special price through UH Mānoa Bookstore.

The event is cosponsored by the Center for Pacific Islands Studies, Pan Pacific Association, Department of Anthropology, and Honors Program. The Pacific film series continues semi-monthly on Thursdays at 5:00pm, Tokioka Room, Moore 319.


Ticket Information
Free and open to the public

Event Sponsor
The Center for Pacific Islands Studies, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Katherine Higgins, 956-2658, khiggins@hawaii.edu, Mystery of Easter Island (PDF)

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