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Easter Island Rise and Fall by Bailee Lawrence
Easter Island has been called “The best historical example of a societal collapse in isolation” by Jared Diamond.” During the 700’s to about the 1400’s, Easter Island flourished with a growing population, stable culture and abundance of life in general. After this time however, Easter Island began a downward spiral that is still studied today and used as evidence that modern civilizations will soon become obsolete. Easter Islands’ history can be traced with more modern technology and so it we can study how they were before, how they started to decline, and how they soon disintegrated as a society.
Scientists believe that the original population of Easter Island was fewer than 100 but because of the plentiful bird, fish and plant food sources, the population grew quickly. Trees that surrounded the island were used for fuel, the construction of houses, ocean fishing canoes, and as rollers to transport the moai to different locations on the island. The cultures most famous features are those stone statues called moai, of which there were at least 288 that once stood. Nearly all the moai were carved from the tough stone of the Rano Raraku volcano. During the peak of civilization, population reached well over 2,000 people. There were several different clans, with two dominant ones that’s often had civil wars and toppled each other’s statues over to show power and dominance.
There were many factors which led to the destruction of the once exotic and fruitful land of the Easter Island. It is hard to imagine this as now, barren lands cover the island, no trees remain, and the only remnants of the society are the 200 something statues that dot the beaches. Pollen records show that the destruction of the forests was well under way by the year 800. This was just a few centuries after the after the very first settlement on the island. Because the forests on the island were used for so much, they were completely destroyed by the 1400s. This led to soil erosion, dried up springs, and the vast flocks of birds that had once populated the island, had now disappeared completely. No logs also meant that there were no canoes for offshore fishing and by the 1700’s, the population dropped one quarter of its population. Disease, war, depletion of resources, and cannibalism brought the island down just as fast as it had sprung up.
This societal downfall has led many experts with examples and tools to predict other civilizations demise. Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel, also wrote another book called Collapse that illustrates why societies thrive, while others collapse. Easter Island was a main focus of this book. From studying Rapa Nui, and other societies he was able to come up with 8 environmental problems that have historically contributed to their fall. They include: Deforestation and habitat destruction, soil problems, water management problems, overhunting, overfishing, introduction of native species, overpopulation and increased per capita impact of people. Each of these things are what happened first hand happened to the Easter Island population. We need to use history as an example and learn from the past so that we do not seal our own fates.
Overall, Easter Island was able to create an exotic and mysterious civilization whose downfall is still studied today so that history will not repeat itself. The inhabitants of their island depleted the islands resources without thinking about the consequences. They overfished, overhunted, overpopulated and took everything the island had to offer. Such disregard for nature quickly led to the destruction of their society.
Scientists believe that the original population of Easter Island was fewer than 100 but because of the plentiful bird, fish and plant food sources, the population grew quickly. Trees that surrounded the island were used for fuel, the construction of houses, ocean fishing canoes, and as rollers to transport the moai to different locations on the island. The cultures most famous features are those stone statues called moai, of which there were at least 288 that once stood. Nearly all the moai were carved from the tough stone of the Rano Raraku volcano. During the peak of civilization, population reached well over 2,000 people. There were several different clans, with two dominant ones that’s often had civil wars and toppled each other’s statues over to show power and dominance.
There were many factors which led to the destruction of the once exotic and fruitful land of the Easter Island. It is hard to imagine this as now, barren lands cover the island, no trees remain, and the only remnants of the society are the 200 something statues that dot the beaches. Pollen records show that the destruction of the forests was well under way by the year 800. This was just a few centuries after the after the very first settlement on the island. Because the forests on the island were used for so much, they were completely destroyed by the 1400s. This led to soil erosion, dried up springs, and the vast flocks of birds that had once populated the island, had now disappeared completely. No logs also meant that there were no canoes for offshore fishing and by the 1700’s, the population dropped one quarter of its population. Disease, war, depletion of resources, and cannibalism brought the island down just as fast as it had sprung up.
This societal downfall has led many experts with examples and tools to predict other civilizations demise. Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel, also wrote another book called Collapse that illustrates why societies thrive, while others collapse. Easter Island was a main focus of this book. From studying Rapa Nui, and other societies he was able to come up with 8 environmental problems that have historically contributed to their fall. They include: Deforestation and habitat destruction, soil problems, water management problems, overhunting, overfishing, introduction of native species, overpopulation and increased per capita impact of people. Each of these things are what happened first hand happened to the Easter Island population. We need to use history as an example and learn from the past so that we do not seal our own fates.
Overall, Easter Island was able to create an exotic and mysterious civilization whose downfall is still studied today so that history will not repeat itself. The inhabitants of their island depleted the islands resources without thinking about the consequences. They overfished, overhunted, overpopulated and took everything the island had to offer. Such disregard for nature quickly led to the destruction of their society.