One of the most popular theories is that the Easter Island statues were tied up with rope and then moved by a group of people working together . Another theory claims that they were moved by laying them down on top of a wooden platform, which was then used to push them around.
What is the truth about Easter Island?
Surprisingly few of the human remains from the island show actual evidence of injury, just 2.5%, and most of those showed evidence of healing, meaning that attacks were not fatal. Crucially, there is no evidence , beyond historical word-of-mouth, of cannibalism.
What is the secret of Easter Island?
Researchers say they have analysed the locations of the megalithic platforms, or ahu, on which many of the statues known as moai sit, as well as scrutinising sites of the island’s resources, and have discovered the structures are typically found close to sources of fresh water.
What is one theory for the disappearance of the Rapa Nui?
One theory posits that the early Polynesians who settled on the island, also known as Rapa Nui, cut down trees for logs to roll the statues from their quarries to their overlook positions.
What are 3 cultural facts about Easter Island?
- No-one knows how the statues were moved. ...
- The huge heads have (huger) bodies. ...
- A Finnish tourist once stole a moai ear. ...
- The statues may have been an antidote to leprosy. ...
- There is an ugly duckling that no-one can explain. ...
- The statues were toppled by angry islanders.
What language is spoken on Easter Island?
Islanders smile, sing and dance in polyester costumes to cater to the mostly Spanish-speaking spenders. Ever since Chile annexed Easter Island more than a century ago, the Spanish language has been chipping away at the Polynesian-based language called Rapa Nui .
Why is Easter Island famous?
Easter Island, Spanish Isla de Pascua, also called Rapa Nui, Chilean dependency in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is the easternmost outpost of the Polynesian island world. It is famous for its giant stone statues . ... Sculptures cut from volcanic rock, Easter Island.
Is Easter Island safe?
Is Easter Island safe? It’s hard to think of any safer place than Easter Island . Tourists that are victims to violent crimes such as robbery, rape or murder is unheard of. Unless you’re looking for a fight, you can walk by yourself at night without worrying about your safety.
What does Moai mean?
listen), or moai (Spanish: moái, Rapa Nui: moʻai, meaning “statue” in Rapa Nui ), are monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island in eastern Polynesia between the years 1250 and 1500. ... Almost all moʻai have overly large heads three-eighths the size of the whole statue.
Why are there no trees on Easter Island?
Easter Island was covered with palm trees for over 30,000 years, but is treeless today . There is good evidence that the trees largely disappeared between 1200 and 1650. ... However there is evidence the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans) was present from 900 and it seems clear that these rats caused widespread deforestation.
Why is it called Easter Island?
The first known European visitor to Easter Island was the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who arrived in 1722. The Dutch named the island Paaseiland (Easter Island) to commemorate the day they arrived .
Does Easter Island have a flag?
The flag of Easter Island (Rapa Nui: Te Reva Reimiro) is the flag of Easter Island, a special territory of Chile. It was first flown in public alongside the national flag on 9 May 2006.
Are there any Easter Islanders left?
The Rapa Nui are the indigenous Polynesian people of Easter Island. ... At the 2017 census there were 7,750 island inhabitants—almost all living in the village of Hanga Roa on the sheltered west coast.
What are the theories of the Rapa Nui moai statues?
One of the most popular theories is that the Easter Island statues were tied up with rope and then moved by a group of people working together . Another theory claims that they were moved by laying them down on top of a wooden platform, which was then used to push them around.
What happened at Rapa Nui?
According to Easter Island: The Truth Revealed, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 people – half the population – were taken in 1862 in a raid by slave traders from Peru to work there , predominately in agriculture. ... They brought disease with them and much of the remaining population was decimated.
What caused the fall of Easter Island?
Around 1200 A.D., their growing numbers and an obsession with building moai led to increased pressure on the environment. By the end of the 17th century, the Rapanui had deforested the island , triggering war, famine and cultural collapse.
