Giant statues give up hat mystery

BBC News ^ | 6 September 2009 | Sudeep Chand

[Wardenclyffe]

Archaeologists have solved an ancient mystery surrounding the famous Easter Island statues.

At 2,500 miles off the coast of Chile, the island is the world's most remote place inhabited by people.

Up to 1,000 years ago, the islanders started putting giant red hats on the statues.

The research team, from the University of Manchester and University College London, think the hats were rolled down from an ancient volcano.

Dr Colin Richards and Dr Sue Hamilton are the first British archaeologists to work on the island since 1914.

They pieced together a series of clues to discover how the statues got their red hats. An axe, a road, and an ancient volcano led to their findings.

Dr Richards said: "We know the hats were rolled along the road made from a cement of compressed red scoria dust."

Each hat, weighing several tonnes, was carved from volcanic rock. They were placed on the heads of the famous statues all around the coast of the island.

Precisely how and why the hats were attached is unknown.

[Wardenclyffe]

The ancient statues have giant red hats

[Brugmansian]

The hats were constructed with money from the Rapa Nui Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

[LibFreeOrDie]

An early “shovel-ready” economic stimulus project?

[Question Liberal Authority]

They were probably waiting for the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series.

If you find another island somewhere that has giant statues wearing bear cubs on their head, this will support my theory.

[MrEdd]

Ancient Linux advertisement...

[x_plus_one]

Disco Bondage Headgear strikes again (apologies to Les Nessman)

[fieldmarshaldj]

They needed hats otherwise they get a nasty sunburn on the top of their heads...

[SUSSA]

Thor Heyerdahl did some great work there in the 1950’s.

[thefactor]

maybe they just really hated the safety dance?

[SunkenCiv]

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[PennsylvaniaMom]

Red Hats? Obviously a hommage trendy group of retirement aged women who “lunch.”

And no... I am not old enough to join.

[Beowulf9]

The mystery is, when are they going to put the purple dresses on them?

http://www.redhatsociety.com

[wildbill]

Sillies!

Anyone can see that this is the Rapa Nui College of Cardinals.

[SunkenCiv]

College of Cardinals? I guess this explains their cult of the birdman...

[Straight Vermonter]

We are not men (or statues) we are Devo!

[blam]

I’ve seen speculation that red hats were used because the people had red hair.

[uglybiker]

I don’t know if age is much of a factor. The Redhats I know can be quite juvenile when they want to be. ;-)

[bert]

......the first British archaeologists to work on the island since 1914. .......

Whew!!...... finally the Brits have come to save the day.

[wildbill]

Exactly. And it explains why the natives speak pidgeon English today.

[Wardenclyffe]

LOL! The guy in front with the glasses looks like Bob Barr!