In human history, there are mysteries that are still unsolved. The story of the Easter Islanders is a prime example.
Off the Southeastern Pacific Ocean there is a very famous island that is now under the sovereignty of Chile. It is Easter Island – recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Many people know Easter Island because of the 887 giant stone statues of human faces (called Moai). Of course, those rocks didn’t come naturally, so it would be proof that the island was once a very prosperous human settlement.
The ancient Rapa Nui people erected statues of famous faces.
It is known that the Moai were created by the ancient Rapa Nui people , and they have lived apart from the world for thousands of years on this island. However, in the 1860s, people on the island suddenly disappeared mysteriously, to which people have not been able to answer until now.
There are many theories about this mysterious disappearance: from disease, excessive deforestation, or internal conflict. In particular, the most accepted opinion is that these people have self-destructed when destroying nature to the point of making the environment on the island “uninhabitable”.
Specifically, history shows that the ancient Rapa Nui people came to this island in 1200. By the early 18th century when Europeans arrived here, the forests on the island were almost wiped out. Those trees are used to build boats and help islanders catch fish.
Moai stone statue.
Then, when there were no more trees and boats, the islanders could no longer take fish but switched to farming on the mainland. But due to uncontrolled farming, the land on the island is seriously eroded. Eventually everything fell apart, the Rapa Nui people were isolated in a remote land without food, and they fell into ruin.
Because recently, a study from Binghamton University (USA) completely rejected this hypothesis. Experts say that theory is not convincing enough.
Specifically, when analyzing the chemical composition at the ruins of the Rapa Nui people, the team of experts found that more than half of the protein in their daily diet comes from seafood. That proves, the Rapa Nui have never stopped fishing.
“The evidence also shows that the soil they used to grow crops is soil that has been modified in composition, meaning they have improved the soil for better farming,” said Carl Lipo, a professor of archeology at Binghamton University. know.
The ancient Rapa Nui people came to this island in 1200.
This proves, the Rapa Nui people have knowledge and cultivate and cultivate, so the possibility of their agricultural system collapse is also very difficult.
So what happened on Easter Island? Since this new study, the story has sunk into mystery again. Maybe due to natural disaster, or due to some force appearing? Just know that this story is still one of the unsolved mysteries in the length of human history.