EASTER ISLAND'S ANCIENT SOCIETY MAY NOT HAVE COLLAPSED AS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT

[Judi Lynn]

BY ARISTOS GEORGIOU ON 8/13/18 AT 12:00 AM

Located 2,300 miles off the coast of Chile and dotted with huge stone heads, remote Easter Island has long been a place of mystery.

The traditional narrative of its history suggests that it was populated by Polynesian seafarers who went on to build great things but then later destroyed their own society through infighting and over-exploitation of natural resources.

But a study published in the Journal of Pacific Archaeology, indicates that perhaps the story is more complex and the island’s society did not collapse in the way that has been previously suggested.

An international team of researchers analysed the chemical makeup of tools used to create the island's iconic large stone sculptures, finding evidence of a sophisticated civilization where people collaborated and shared information.

More:
https://www.newsweek.com/easter-islands-ancient-society-may-not-have-collapsed-previously-thought-1069950?piano_t=1