A new opinion called "not a war" is proposed that Moai's island, the civilization of Easter Island, was destroyed

ByCarl Lipo

A solitary island in the South Pacific known for the giant sculpture "Moai" carving human face "Easter IslandThere used to be a civilization, but it is said that almost completely destroyed by the war in the island in the middle of the 19th century. As the history of Easter Island is a milestone theory that the island's population has suffered catastrophic damage as resources are exhausted due to environmental destruction and conflicts broke out over the remaining resources, New York The research team of Professor Karl Lipo of the State University Binghamton and colleagues announces a new theory denying them and evidence supporting it.

In shards of glass, a new sign of how the enigmatic Easter Islanders met their demise - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/02/17/in-shards-of-glass-a-new-sign-of-how-the-enigmatic-easter-islanders-met-their-demise/

New evidence: Easter Island civilization was not destroyed by war | Ars Technica
http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/02/new-evidence-easter-island-civilization-was-not-destroyed-by-war/

Easter Island, or in local languageLapa NuiOn the island called Polynesians moved to the island in the 5th century, around the 10th century it is thought that the production of the famous stone sculpture "Moai" began. There is a theory that the population of the former island is 3000 to 4000 people and a theory that it is said that more than 10,000 people lived, the real situation is not really understood. As of 2016, about 4000 residents live, the Chilean navy is stationed in the island, airports, roads, harbors, etc. are maintained, and in the city area restaurants, hotels, discos, gas stations, video rental Facilities such as shops, schools, hospitals, museums, post offices, and broadcasting stations are in place,Island life is contemporaryIt has become something.

Along with the origin of the Moai statue, the history that the civilizations of the Polynesians who are indigenous people on Easter Island have been destroyed remains as a big mystery. As a reason why the collapse of civilization happened, it is also a scholar and a writerJared DiamondMr.Eco side(Ecocide) "theory is widely known. This is due to environmental destruction caused by forest cutting done in unprecedented development, the forest died, the soil containing nutrients flowed out due to deforestation, it was impossible to cultivate food, It means that I was in need.

In addition, it is impossible even to make a fishing rod for fishing because the tree is gone, war against the resources left behind by residents living in Easter Island, an extremely oceanic island surrounded by the sea surrounding the war It is believed that a lot of people were sacrificed. This environmental destruction theory "Eco side" is also often taken up as an episode that sounds a warning on reckless development and environmental destruction.

ByLivio Barcella

It is the research team by Lipo Professor et al. Who disputes this eco side theory. Lipo and colleagues started field investigations in Easter Island from about 2000, and conducted research on the history of Easter Island including the method of making Moai and the history of the disintegration of indigenous peoples' society.

As mentioned earlier, in the conventional theory it is thought that the inhabitants killed each other on Easter Island, but it is believed that this theory is supported by the fact that like a knife seen in various parts of the island It is an object. This object made of obsidian which can be taken on the island is called "mata'a" and it has been thought that it was used for the killing of residents from its sharply sharpened shape.


I visited Easter Island in 1774James Cook(Captain · cook) 's line wrote that "There is something like a grain that was thin and sharply processed on the island was rolling", and even though it seems that this maata was used for killing the residents It seems there was no situation.

Dr. Lipo and colleagues used the shape of this mataElliptic Fourier analysisWe analyzed using a method called. To put it shortly, we ought to decompose the shape of the object into X and Y axes and quantify it, but Lipo and colleagues investigated over 400 matters using this method, I can not use Mata for the purpose of killing people ". The reason is that there is no sharpness and length just to give a fatal injury to a person, but based on that shape, Professor Lipo says "Mata is a tool to use when peeling or farming" I conclude that it was not used for war, and I am advocating the theory that it was not used for war.


Instead of Professor Lipo's advocacy that the disease and pests brought by Europeans who visited the island in the 18th century dramatically reduced the population. The Europeans who came first to Easter Island, the Admiral of the Navy of the Netherlands who discovered the island on the Easter day of 1722Jakop LoogfaenIn that case, there are records that about 3000 inhabitants live on the island.

A boat from Europe came to the island even after Admiral Lochfaen, but Captain Captain Cook who landed on Easter Island in 1774 said that the island was covered with a skeleton, a few years ago It leaves behind the scenes reminiscent of the mass death of islanders.


Professor Lipu mentioned the possibility that a plague was brought about by a ship from Spain which had been visiting Easter Island at that time, and the epidemic such as smallpox and plague spread, so that the population of the island is shortened It is said that it has decreased to less than half. Professor Lipo says, "There was no evidence of massive population destruction in the island until the arrival of the Europeans."


It is also true that there are those who raise the opposite voice in Professor Lipo's theory. Mr. Diamond pointed out that the influence of environmental destruction by slash-and-burn agriculture is low in the theory of Professor Lipo and points out the problem such as Paul Baan, a researcher on Easter Island and John Mr. Floren pointed out the traces of the trauma left in the skeleton of the time and the existence of the genocide transmitted to the island, arguing that the murder of the residents is the cause. However, since the residents currently living in the island are those who came back from the island once they left, and from the outside, question marks remain where it can trust this "legend".

It is the history theory of Easter Island in the aspect that the various theories are confused, but from the fact that it was said that the conventional theory lacks scientific basis, it is said that Lipo Professor's theory is sure to cast a single stone looks good. In view of the situation, there are various speculations and it is a problem with a view that can make the difficulty of historical recognition truly aroused, but at the end I would like to wish that scientific evidence will show us the true form.

The research team of Professor Lipo also conducts surveys on the method of making Moai statues. In the following movies, in addition to being talked about the details of the "European theory" above, you can see how to reproduce the way to transport by Moai, thought to be used by old people I will.

National Geographic Live! - Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo: The Statues That Walked - YouTube


This is a model of a moai, made of concrete and weighing 5 tons used for verification.


Moai is wrapped around the rope from three sides, and shaking left and right makes Moai move as if walking. On Easter Island there is a legend that "Moai walked by myself", but the very scene of that street is reproduced in the movie.