One other theory which could shed light on the mysterious disappearance of the island’s early settlers involved rat infestation. There are historians who support the idea that a surplus of food stocks may have opened up a flood gate of rats that stayed hidden in the canoes of the ancient pioneers of Easter Island.
There was a possibility that rodents relentlessly chowed down on their vegetation, stopping them from growing back properly. Regardless of all the havoc that they inflicted though, rats were apparently a main part of the native diet. The notion that the Rapa Nui people put rodents on the menu was supported by hard evidence after archaeologists uncovered rat bones on the island.
The Head Director
The Easter Island Statue Project (EISP) which excavated the Moai bodies was headed by Jo Anne Van Tilburg. Following the determination and hard work of the Van Tilburg team to uncover the hidden secrets of the Moai, she then made an announcement on the company’s website. She revealed, “Our EISP excavations recently exposed the torsos of two 7m tall statues."
After their groundbreaking discovery, countless travelers and advocates of the mysterious Easter Island across the world were shocked to hear that the island’s long-fabled statues actually had bodies! But perhaps what’s even more important is that we have learned a whole lot about the Rapa Nui and their knowledge of ancient engineering.
Potential Eruption
There are also three dead volcanoes fixed on top of Easter Island and the highest one stands at an astounding 1674 feet. Specifically speaking though, Easter Island is, in principle, a whole massive volcano sitting in a remote region in the Pacific Ocean.
The major volcano in Easter Island is called Rano Kau and it is currently situated inside the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Rapa Nui National Park. Additionally, the Rano Kau volcano is, in fact, the actual site of the ruins of Orongo, the ritualistic community in which the early islanders journeyed and venerated as a sacred ground of worship.
What Happened to The Natives?
Although there are numerous different theories surrounding the disappearance of the early Rapa Nui people, it is widely considered today that the ancient islanders became the engineers of their own devastation. That’s what the majority of the world’s most prominent researchers believe, that is if we were to talk purely about the living conditions of Easter Island.
One theory proposed that the settlers shaved the island clean from forest life, with the erroneous belief that trees will naturally grow back fast. In addition, the rapidly increasing population of inhabitants on the island became a major crisis, leaving the place overly crowded and deprived of further space and resources for growth and development.
Who Were the Builders?
In spite of its rich history and the various theories that accompanied it, a conclusive explanation as to who precisely built the colossal Moai statues, how they did it, and why, is still up in the air. A widely known theory proposes that the massive stone figures were made by top professional carvers of the ancient Polynesian craft guilds.
One other theory also proposes that constituents of every tribe joined forces to build the magnificent Moai. This is a logical proposition since the Rano Raraku quarry was known to be divided into distinct regions designated for every tribe that belonged to their people.