2. Location
Easter Island or
Rapa Nui is located
in the central part
of Height Eastern
Pacific on the
Pacific Ocean . The
only city on this
island is Hanga Roa
. The city belongs
to Chile. There are
huge statues there.
This island has
3791 inhabitants.
3.
Population
The history of the island
is still the subject of
much debate and
scientific publications.
Scientists are discussing
who populated the island
in ancient times
Thor Heyerdahl is a
Norwegian explorer and
traveller. He conducted
archaeological work on
this island. He showed
that the island was
inhabited by the
American Indians.
However, this was not
possible.
4. Discoveries
In 1722, Easter Island was
discovered by Dutch sailor
Jacob Roggevena. In 1770
James Cook also came to
the island.
In 1888, Captain Policarpo
Toro joined the island to
Chile. From now until the
end of the 50’s the island
has been regarded as a
great pasture for sheep.
After launching the airport
in Hanga Roa in 1966
tourism developed. Since
1986, Easter Island is a
base for U.S. rescue space
shuttle.
5. Moai
The place is known of 887
stone statues, called moai.
They are posed on stone
platforms. They represent
the best-known
achievement of civilization
of Polynesian inhabitants of
the island. Most of them
were forged in the volcanic
Tufi coming from the
volcano Rano Raraku .
Quarry, in which the
material was done, was
suddenly abandoned. It is
evidenced by the unfinished
statues.
6. RIDDLE ?
Purpose of these objects is
not yet known. Many theories
were established on the
subject that speaking of
statues they are the imagined
deities, or ancestors.
How heavy blocks of stone
are moved ?
Probably they used wooden
skids. Moai cut stone tools
from volcanic rock.
Construction of the statues
was suddenly interrupted in
the sixteenth century. The
reason was probably the
overpopulation of the island,
famine and the outbreak of
intertribal fighting
