The new discovery changes the understanding of the origin of the mysterious statues on Easter Island

Until recently, an international study provided new insights into what Moai could represent islanders who mined to mine and carve these giant statues.

More than 90% of Moai statues are made at a quarry called Rano Raraku - a crater where it occupies less than 1% of the island's total area, but that is the only source of stone used. to create giant rocks of the island used to sculpt.

However, Rano Raraku is not merely rock, based on analysis of soil samples collected in the area.

More than 90% of Moai statues are made at a quarry called Rano Raraku.

"There are really things that I never thought would be there, such as calcium and phosphorus ," explains geologist Sarah Sherwood from Tennessee.

According to the team, this quarry area is an industrial area used to produce and temporarily store Moai before being transported to other locations on the island.

However, nearly 400 monolithic rocks remain in the quarry, and some are buried in the ground with the support of solid rock structures showing that this location is not temporary.

"Everywhere else on the island, the soil was quickly eroded, eroded, eroded by the cultivation of plants. But in quarries, with the constant small flow of small pieces of the original rock are created. By the extraction process, there is a perfect feedback system for water, natural fertilizers and nutrients, ' Sherwood said.

In addition to evidence of soil fertility, the researchers also found traces of ancient crops in samples, including bananas, taro, sweet potato and berries.

Researchers think that in addition to using quarries to produce Moai, Easter Island residents also take advantage of the space as a place to grow the food they need, making use of the rich farmland of Rano Raraku. , which will produce higher productivity with lower labor costs.

"We make a new proposal based on these data, and based on Rano Raraku's etiquette and resources such as megalithic, Rano Raraku sediments are a valuable and protected commodity. has been shipped from Rano Raraku to enrich areas where productivity is needed , " the authors explain.

"This study completely changed the idea that all the statues in Rano Raraku were simply waiting to be transported out of the quarry. The Moai in Rano Raraku was kept to ensure the sacred nature of the quarry itself. Moai is at the center of the idea of ​​fertility, and Rapa Nui believes that their presence here has stimulated agricultural food production, " said archaeologist Jo Anne Van Tilburg from UCLA.

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