Easter Island mystery resolved: Population decline demystified
Easter Island, known for its majestic stone statues, has puzzled scientists for years. They wondered why the island's population essentially disappeared. This phenomenon has been attributed, among others, to an ecological disaster. As it turns out, reality in this case was very mundane.
Almost everyone associates Easter Island with the famous moai stone statues. One of the theories regarding the demise of the island's population was the theory of an ecosystem collapse. However, as it turns out, this theory can be dismissed.
Easter Island. Over 2,000 inhabitants and nearly 900 statues
Easter Island was discovered on April 5, 1772, by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen. It owes its name to the fact that Easter Sunday was celebrated in the Catholic Church then. It is one of the most mysterious regions of the world.
The gigantic collection of nearly 900 moai statues led to their inclusion, along with Rapa Nui National Park (the island's original name), on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
When the island was discovered, it was inhabited by 2,000 to 3,000 people, but explorers believed that up to 10,000 people might have lived there earlier. According to scientists, the cause of the disaster was excessive palm forest deforestation, which supposedly covered up to 70% of the island's area.
Archaeological research proved that the soil destroyed in this way was already susceptible to erosion, and the inhabitants could no longer grow food massively. This led to hunger, cannibalism, and wars, which supposedly resulted in the island's downfall.
Easter Island. Residents were much more resourceful than previously thought
As it turns out, the residents of Rapa Nui were quite resourceful. They also consumed seafood besides sweet potatoes, which they cultivated and ate.
Vegetables were cultivated by the island's inhabitants in fields, but there were significantly fewer of these fields than previously thought.
Earlier estimates suggested that out of 160 square kilometres (63 square miles), as much as 20 square kilometres (8 square miles) were dedicated to rock gardens, which could have fed up to 17,000 people. New research revealed that, in reality, this area was much smaller at 0.8 square kilometres (0.3 square miles). This could sustain a population of only around 2,000 individuals. Adding foods such as bananas to their diet could have supported about 3,000 people.
This means that the population was not decimated by disasters. Not many people were born on Easter Island, and the region eventually became deserted.
