New evidence upends contentious Easter Island theory, scientists say
Rapa Nui, known for its stone-carved heads, is at the southernmost point of the South Pacific's Polynesian Triangle. Also called Easter Island, it's one of the world's remotest inhabited regions. (Zhu Yubo/Xinhua/Sipa USA via CNN Newsource)
Katie Hunt
CNN
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Published Sept. 14, 2024 11:55 a.m. CDT
Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, never experienced a ruinous population collapse, according to an analysis of ancient DNA from 15 former inhabitants of the remote island in the Pacific Ocean.
The analysis also suggested that inhabitants of the island, which lies about 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) from the South American mainland, reached the Americas in the 1300s — long before Christopher Columbus’ 1492 landing in the New World.
Settled by Polynesian seafarers 800 years ago, Rapa Nui, today part of Chile, has hundreds of monumental stone heads that echo of the past. The island has long been a place of intrigue.
Some experts, such as geographer Jared Diamond in his 2005 book, “Collapse,” used Easter Island as a cautionary tale of how the exploitation of limited resources can result in catastrophic population decline, ecological devastation and the destruction of a society through infighting.
More:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/new-evidence-upends-contentious-easter-island-theory-scientists-say-1.7038269
= new reply since forum marked as read
by Bénédicte REY
September 15, 2024
A widespread theory that the people of Easter Island caused a societal collapse is not true, new research suggests.
Two recent studies have cast doubt on a popular theory that the ancient residents of Easter Island suffered a societal collapse because they overexploited their natural resources, an event often labeled one of history's first "ecocides".
Easter Island, located in the Pacific Ocean 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) from the coast of Chile, is best known for the enigmatic "moai" stone statues of humans carved by the Rapanui people.
A widespread theory popularized by historians including US author Jared Diamond claimed that the Rapanui deforested the small island—which is known to have once been covered in palm trees—to keep supporting the flourishing culture of its more than 15,000 inhabitants.
The sudden lack of resources is said to have triggered a brutal period of famine and warfare that escalated into cannibalism and ended in a demographic and cultural collapse.
This event in the 1600s abruptly brought an end to the creation of new moai statues—or so the story goes.
More:
https://phys.org/news/2024-09-ecocide-easter-island.html
The "experts" seemed so certain that was the case, along with horrible wars, people hiding underground to escape being murdered, etc.
For years I didn't know there were there are many moiai, either.
It would have been an amazing experience seeing Rapa Nui personally. Deeply mysterious place in every way. Life would be so different there.
Thank you for your post. The trip would be unforgettable. 
