The island of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, is famous for its moai. These giant, anthropomorphic monoliths have long puzzled anthropologists, driving extensive research into their construction. A new study challenges a widely held assumption about how the moai came to stand watch over this remote Pacific island.

Experts believe Polynesian communities began carving the moai in the 13th century. Sculpting and moving hundreds of these statues—the largest of which stands 66 feet (20 meters) tall and weighs 90 tons (82 metric tons)—was an incredible engineering feat. It’s difficult to imagine that this could have been possible without some sort of hierarchical management, but research published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One suggests that was the case.

The findings reveal “a s

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