Deserted mysteries of Easter island. Photo

One of the most mysterious Islands.

For many centuries, Easter island was flourishing civilization, Rapa Nui, and in the mid-nineteenth century, it suddenly disappeared. Scientists have put forward many theories as to why it happened. Some lean towards environmental collapse, while others believe that the cause of their destruction are huge moai statues. People ruined your island so that it became uninhabitable.

In academic circles quite a popular theory of ecocide, i.e., almost complete destruction of natural resources, made it impossible for the residence of natives on the island. Archaeologists believe that Polynesians colonized Easter island around 1200 BC And the beginning of the XVIII century, when Europeans discovered this area, it was already almost deforested.

It is believed that the people of Easter island called themselves the Rapa Nui, were engaged in uncontrolled deforestation for construction of canoes. When the boat was already not what to do, and, consequently, not being able to catch fish, people were engaged in agriculture. However, after some time, the soil erosion resulting from improper cultivation, condemned the islanders to starvation.

Such a theory of the disappearance of the Rapa Nui civilization was the main a long time. But recently scientists have questioned the version with ecocide. The analysis found during the excavation of the human remains showed that most of proteins in the diet of the island’s population were reported due to the ingestion of seafood. This suggests that the Rapanui people never stopped to fish.
Moreover, the agricultural economy also was in a decline, as is commonly thought. The composition of the soil it becomes clear that the islanders had used fertilizer.

Scientists can not answer the question of how for some 200-300 years people have managed to destroy the lush vegetation of the island, turning it into a desert. Another theory is based on the construction of the statues of the giant moai. On the island there are hundreds. To cut from volcanic rock one such statue, required 12-15 months. Then it had to be towed to the destination. For this, there were fixtures made from trees.

As for the last stage of extinction of civilization, Rapa Nui, there is more than just the most likely theory is not ecocide, but genocide. In the early nineteenth century the Americans arrived on Easter island, has captured the part of the natives, and made them slaves. Half a century later, the Peruvians also took ramanujam and brought them to their quarry. The population declined rapidly. Be aware that Easter island is quite isolated, so when arrived immigrants from the mainland, they brought with them tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. The natives simply began to die out. To 1877 the indigenous population of Easter island was reduced to 111 people.

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