What is the story behind Easter Island?

Etymology. The name “Easter Island” was given by the island’s first recorded European visitor, the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who encountered it on Easter Sunday (5 April) in 1722, while searching for “Davis Land”. The island’s official Spanish name, Isla de Pascua, also means “Easter Island”.

Who owns Easter Island today?

Chile
It lies in the southeastern Pacific Ocean in Oceania, and although it is still a distant 3,800 kilometres (2,360 miles) off its coast, Chile is the closest country to Easter Island. In 1888, Chile annexed the island, which remains a territory of the nation to this day, as part of the Chilean Valparaiso region.

How did Easter Island heads get there?

Easter Island – The Statues and Rock Art of Rapa Nui. Using basalt stone picks, the Easter Island Moai were carved from the solidified volcanic ash of Rano Raraku volcano. Once completed, the statues were then moved from the quarry to their intended site and erected on an ‘ahu’.

Was there cannibalism on Easter island?

With no trees to anchor the soil, fertile land eroded away resulting in poor crop yields, while a lack of wood meant islanders couldn’t build canoes to access fish or move statues. This led to internecine warfare and, ultimately, cannibalism.

What happened to the birds on Easter island?

Soon land birds went extinct and migratory bird numbers were severely reduced, thus spelling an end for Easter Island’s forests. Already under intense pressure by the human population for firewood and building material, the forests lost their animal pollinators and seed dispersers with the disappearance of the birds.

Did Easter Island have trees?

Easter Island was covered with palm trees for over 30,000 years, but is treeless today. There is good evidence that the trees largely disappeared between 1200 and 1650.

Do the Easter Island heads have bodies underground?

The World-Famous Easter Island Heads Have Bodies Buried Underground. Crafted by the Rapa Nui people between 1250 and 1500, these monumental sculptures have been shrouded in mystery for centuries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4U5Y7MSAJc