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Historians have long wondered why the famous statues of Easter Island are mainly located on the coast of the far-off Pacific island. A team of archaeologists has now provided an answer.
Researchers, including experts from Binghamton University and New York University, shed new light on why ancient statues are placed along the shores of the island. About 900 statues, or moai, are scattered around Easter Island.
The team found that, with little fresh water available on the island, islanders were likely relying on groundwater discharges into coastal areas as the main source of drinking water.
The mystery of Easter Island solved: how huge 'hats' made of stone were placed on ancient and famous statues
"Now that we know more about the location of fresh water, however, the location of these monuments and other elements makes sense: they are placed where the Freshwater is immediately available, "said Carl Lipo, professor of anthropology at Binghamton University.
Moai at Hanga Kio, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile (Photo: Insights / UIG via Getty Images)
Lipo notes that the porous volcanic soil of Easter Island absorbs rain quickly, resulting in a lack of rivers and streams. "Fortunately, the groundwater flows downhill and ends up coming out of the ground directly to the point where porous underground rock meets the ocean," he said. "When the tides are low, the flow of fresh water flows directly into the sea. Humans can take advantage of these freshwater sources by capturing water at these points."
The research is published in the Hydrogeology Journal.
THE ANCIENT CIVILIZATION OF THE EASTERN ISLAND IS NOT DESTROYED BY THE WAR, SAY THE EXPERTS
According to researchers, Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, contains two hard-to-reach lakes, no creeks and a "often reduced to a wet peat bog" source. There are, however, small cisterns cut to collect rainfall, called "taheta", although the study indicates that they can collect only small amounts of water – between 2 and 4 liters each.
Stock Photo – Statues at Anakena Beach, Easter Island, Chile. (Photo by Eric LAFFORGUE / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
The researchers estimate that with only 49 inches of annual rainfall and an evaporation rate determined by the island's climate, taheta could not be a viable source of drinking water for 317 days a year.
In the first European stories of Easter Island, the inhabitants of the island seem to "drink sea water". Since the human body can not handle the high salt content of seawater, researchers believe that these stories probably refer to groundwater discharges on the coast of the island.
PART OF THE MYSTERY OF EASTER ISLAND RESOLVED
"This information finally highlights the conditions that drove and allowed these communities to work together to achieve their engineering feats," said Lipo. "By gaining knowledge about community-wide behaviors, we can better understand the general conditions for group-level cooperation, whether in the past or in contemporary society."
This photo of August 2012 shows heads to Rano Raraku, the career of Easter Island.
(AP Photo / Karen Schwartz)
In the next stage of the research, experts will examine the link between the availability of freshwater in certain areas and the methods and means of building statues.
The remote Pacific island, located more than 3,000 km from the Chilean coast, continues to fascinate historians. Earlier this year, researchers, including experts from Binghamton University, explained how ancient islanders were able to place huge stone hats on the statues.
PEACEKEEPING PEACE MAY HAVE A NEW SURPRISING EXPLANATION
In 2016, research conducted on artifacts on the island questioned the theory that the ancient civilization would have been destroyed by the war.
Experts, also from the University of Binghamton, have studied hundreds of ancient artifacts found on the shores of Easter Island. Previously, artifacts were considered spearheads, but the analysis reveals that they were probably general-purpose tools.
Carved in obsidian or volcanic glass, thousands of triangular objects, called mata's, litter the surface of the island.
Some scientists have estimated that, at its peak, the Easter Island population could reach 20,000, but dropped over the centuries after cutting trees and palms of the island to build canoes and carry its famous giant statues. One theory suggests that deforestation has led to soil erosion, affecting the island's ability to support wildlife and agriculture, and the collapse of its civilization.
When the Dutch arrived on the island in 1722, its population was 3,000 or less. In 1877, only 111 inhabitants lived on Easter Island.
However, other experts wondered if Easter Island had already hosted a large population, citing instead the arrival of Europeans, who brought diseases and enslaved islanders.
Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
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