Easter IslandEaster Island

Easter IslandEaster Island

Most isolated habitable landmass in Most isolated habitable landmass in the worldthe world

Nearest land is Pitcairn Islands (about Nearest land is Pitcairn Islands (about 1,300 miles to the west)1,300 miles to the west)

““Discovered” by Dutch explorer Jacob Discovered” by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Day in 1722Roggeveen on Easter Day in 1722

The few thousand Polynesians who The few thousand Polynesians who inhabited the island had only small, inhabited the island had only small, leaky canoes for aquatic transportleaky canoes for aquatic transport

Jacob Roggeveen, Jacob Roggeveen, 17221722 ““As concerns their vessels, these are bad As concerns their vessels, these are bad

and frail as regards use, for their canoes are and frail as regards use, for their canoes are put together with manifold small planks and put together with manifold small planks and light inner timbers, which they cleverly light inner timbers, which they cleverly stitched together with very fine twisted stitched together with very fine twisted threads, made from the above-named field-threads, made from the above-named field-plant. But as they lacked the knowledge and plant. But as they lacked the knowledge and particularly the materials for caulking and particularly the materials for caulking and making tight the great number of seams of making tight the great number of seams of the canoes, these are accordingly very the canoes, these are accordingly very leaky, for which reason they are compelled leaky, for which reason they are compelled to spend half the time in bailing”to spend half the time in bailing”

2 Questions2 Questions

How did people with only crude, How did people with only crude, leaky canoes survive the two and a leaky canoes survive the two and a half week ocean voyage to Easter half week ocean voyage to Easter Island?Island?

How were the statues carved, How were the statues carved, transported, and erected by a small transported, and erected by a small population with few resources on an population with few resources on an island without trees?island without trees?

How is it possible?How is it possible?

Thor Heyerdahl believed that Thor Heyerdahl believed that Easter Island was settled by an Easter Island was settled by an advanced society of South advanced society of South American Indians ie. IncaAmerican Indians ie. Inca

Erich von Daniken believe that Erich von Daniken believe that the statues were carved by aliens the statues were carved by aliens who were stranded on Easter who were stranded on Easter Island and eventually rescuedIsland and eventually rescued

EvidenceEvidence

Easter Islanders speak a Polynesian Easter Islanders speak a Polynesian dialect related to Hawaiian and dialect related to Hawaiian and Marquesan, a Tahitian man traveling Marquesan, a Tahitian man traveling with Captain Cook was able to with Captain Cook was able to converse with themconverse with them

Easter Island tools (fish hooks, stone Easter Island tools (fish hooks, stone adzes, harpoons) are Polynesianadzes, harpoons) are Polynesian

Easter Island foods (bananas, taro, Easter Island foods (bananas, taro, sweet potato, sugarcane) are typical in sweet potato, sugarcane) are typical in PolynesiaPolynesia

Evidence cont.Evidence cont.

Easter Island’s only domestic Easter Island’s only domestic animal, the chicken, is Polynesian animal, the chicken, is Polynesian and Asianand Asian

Easter Islanders have Polynesian Easter Islanders have Polynesian DNADNA

SettlementSettlement

Easter Island probably settled Easter Island probably settled 300-900 AD from Mangareva, 300-900 AD from Mangareva, Pitcairn, and HendersonPitcairn, and Henderson

1200 mile ocean voyage to an 1200 mile ocean voyage to an island only nine miles wideisland only nine miles wide

According to tradition, Easter was According to tradition, Easter was settled by Hotu Matu’a, his wife, settled by Hotu Matu’a, his wife, six sons, and extended familysix sons, and extended family

Settlement cont.Settlement cont.

Easter stone tool styles are similar to Easter stone tool styles are similar to Mangarevan tools several hundred Mangarevan tools several hundred years after settlement—may have years after settlement—may have had ongoing contacthad ongoing contact

Easter lacked dogs, pigs, typical Easter lacked dogs, pigs, typical Polynesian crops. There is no Polynesian crops. There is no evidence of Easter stone tools on evidence of Easter stone tools on other islands or other stone tools on other islands or other stone tools on Easter—may have had no contact for Easter—may have had no contact for 1000 years.1000 years.

DietDiet

Based on bone remains, early Based on bone remains, early settlers ate seabirds, land birds, settlers ate seabirds, land birds, and porpoisesand porpoises

At European arrival, settlers At European arrival, settlers mostly ate sweet potatoes, yams, mostly ate sweet potatoes, yams, taro, bananas, sugarcane, and taro, bananas, sugarcane, and chickenchicken

PopulationPopulation

Estimated by counting the Estimated by counting the number of housesnumber of houses

At its peak, Easter supported At its peak, Easter supported 6,000-30,000 people6,000-30,000 people

In 1864, about 2,000 people In 1864, about 2,000 people (after smallpox, kidnapping, and (after smallpox, kidnapping, and population crash)population crash)

MoaiMoai

MoaiMoai

887 carved moai887 carved moai Almost half remain in the quarryAlmost half remain in the quarry Most outside the quarry were erected on Most outside the quarry were erected on

ahuahu Average moai was 13 feet tall and 10 Average moai was 13 feet tall and 10

tonstons Tallest “Paro” was 32 feet and 75 tonsTallest “Paro” was 32 feet and 75 tons One unfinished moai would have been One unfinished moai would have been

70 feet and 270 tons70 feet and 270 tons

Moai cont.Moai cont.

Biggest moai were latestBiggest moai were latest Latest moai on biggest, richest Latest moai on biggest, richest

ahu had “pukao” or hat weighing ahu had “pukao” or hat weighing up to 12 tonsup to 12 tons

Competition?Competition?

Moai constructionMoai construction

20 carvers work for one month20 carvers work for one month 50-500 people to transport and erect50-500 people to transport and erect How could statues be transported How could statues be transported

without rope (made from tree bark) without rope (made from tree bark) and wood for sleds, ladders, and and wood for sleds, ladders, and levers?levers?

Easter has few trees, tallest native Easter has few trees, tallest native tree “toromiro” is up to 7 feet talltree “toromiro” is up to 7 feet tall

Pollen Analysis Pollen Analysis (Palynology)(Palynology) Column of sediment in swamp or Column of sediment in swamp or

pond is analyzedpond is analyzed Surface mud is most recentSurface mud is most recent Dated by radiocarbon methodsDated by radiocarbon methods Easter Island once had abundant Easter Island once had abundant

unidentified palm treesunidentified palm trees Fossilized palm trunks are more Fossilized palm trunks are more

than seven feet in diameterthan seven feet in diameter

Fossilized palm nuts are similar to Fossilized palm nuts are similar to Chilean wine palmChilean wine palm

Sap used to make wine, honey, or sugarSap used to make wine, honey, or sugar Nuts for foodNuts for food Fronds make thatched roofs, baskets, Fronds make thatched roofs, baskets,

mats, and sailsmats, and sails Trunks used to erect moai and build raftsTrunks used to erect moai and build rafts Easter once supported a diverse forestEaster once supported a diverse forest

ZooarchaeologyZooarchaeology

Easter once supported at least six Easter once supported at least six species of native land bird, today there species of native land bird, today there are noneare none

At least 25 seabirds once nested on At least 25 seabirds once nested on Easter (richest nesting site in Polynesia)Easter (richest nesting site in Polynesia)

1/3 of all animal bones found belong to 1/3 of all animal bones found belong to Common Dolphin—lives far out at seaCommon Dolphin—lives far out at sea

23% fish bones—90% elsewhere in 23% fish bones—90% elsewhere in PolynesiaPolynesia

Porpoises and other open ocean fish Porpoises and other open ocean fish disappeared from the Easter dietdisappeared from the Easter diet

Land birds also disappear due to Land birds also disappear due to extinction (overhunting, deforestation, extinction (overhunting, deforestation, rats)rats)

24/25 seabirds no longer breed on 24/25 seabirds no longer breed on EasterEaster

Size of cowry and snail shells in Size of cowry and snail shells in middens decreased over timemiddens decreased over time

Causes of Causes of DeforestationDeforestation FirewoodFirewood CremationCremation Land for gardensLand for gardens CanoesCanoes Timber and rope for statuesTimber and rope for statues Rats consumed palm nutsRats consumed palm nuts

Consequences of Consequences of DeforestationDeforestation Wood fires replaced with grass firesWood fires replaced with grass fires Cremation replaced with Cremation replaced with

mummification and burialmummification and burial No canoes—porpoises and open No canoes—porpoises and open

ocean fish disappear from the dietocean fish disappear from the diet Land birds disappearLand birds disappear Palm nuts, malay apples, and other Palm nuts, malay apples, and other

wild fruit disappearwild fruit disappear

Consequences of Consequences of DeforestationDeforestation Rat bones increase in bone Rat bones increase in bone

middensmiddens Crop yields decrease (soil erosion Crop yields decrease (soil erosion

from wind and water)from wind and water) StarvationStarvation Population crashPopulation crash CannibalismCannibalism

Population CrashPopulation Crash

Moai production stops, replaced by Moai production stops, replaced by little statues of starving peoplelittle statues of starving people

House sites drop 70%House sites drop 70% Human bones (cracked to extract Human bones (cracked to extract

marrow) start to show up in middensmarrow) start to show up in middens Chiefs and priests overthrown Chiefs and priests overthrown

around 1680around 1680 Civil warCivil war

Cultural ChangeCultural Change

Moai toppled by rivalsMoai toppled by rivals Last standing moai (Paro) toppled and Last standing moai (Paro) toppled and

broken around 1840broken around 1840 War justified by religious cult following War justified by religious cult following

creator god Makemakecreator god Makemake Artistic expression changed to Artistic expression changed to

petroglyphs of women’s genitals, petroglyphs of women’s genitals, birdmen, and birdsbirdmen, and birds

Cult organized “Birdman of the year” Cult organized “Birdman of the year” competition-shark infested waterscompetition-shark infested waters

European ContactEuropean Contact

Introduction of diseaseIntroduction of disease Kidnapping for slave laborKidnapping for slave labor By 1872 only 111 islanders By 1872 only 111 islanders

remainedremained Easter annexed by Chile in 1888Easter annexed by Chile in 1888 Population today is about 50% Population today is about 50%

native, 50% Chileannative, 50% Chilean

Alternate TheoriesAlternate Theories

Deforestation caused by Deforestation caused by undocumented European visitorsundocumented European visitors

Deforestation caused by natural Deforestation caused by natural climate changesclimate changes

What were people saying on What were people saying on Easter Island when the last tree Easter Island when the last tree was being cut down?was being cut down?