Easter Island is a place imbued with mysteries and secrets that attract tourists and researchers from all over the world. The island's famous giant statues, called moai, have unusual red hats that still raise many questions among scientists and tourists. However, recent research by archaeologists has provided new answers to these questions.
According to archaeological research, red hats called pukao were added to the heads of the statues after they were erected. This means that the statues were completed without the hats and then they were added. They were carved from red stone that was found in a quarry on the other side of the island. The researchers found that in order to move the hats to the top of the statue, they used the unzipping technique, a proven method for moving heavy loads that uses ropes laid underneath the object. Thanks to the swing arm, this makes it relatively easy to lift heavy objects up ramps. The researchers found that the entire process required fewer than 15 workers.
However, why the hats were added to the heads of the statues remains a mystery. Many researchers believe that hats were used to distinguish statues or to signify the power of a particular statue. Additionally, archaeologists have determined that not all of the statues had hats, which may indicate that not all moai were the same and had the same function.
It is also worth noting that the quarry where the hats were forged is more than 12 kilometers from the quarry where the statues were carved. This means that moving the hats to the tops of the statues required a lot of effort and technical ability.
Some researchers suggest that wooden structures and ropes, as well as traction animals such as oxen, were used to move the hats. However, from an engineering perspective, this would be extremely difficult and risky, especially given the enormous weight of the statues and the need to keep them upright.
It is possible that methods were used to move the hats that still remain unknown. Some researchers even suggest that ancient civilizations may have had access to certain technologies that we cannot explain today.
In any case, the movement of the hats to the tops of the statues on Easter Island remains a mystery to scientists and archaeologists. This architectural and engineering feat of ancient civilizations has impressed and inspired people for centuries, and may never be fully revealed or explained.