One of
the greatest mysteries on Earth are the statues which stand on Easter Island.
Easter Island is one of the most remote islands on Earth. It is in the southern
Pacific Ocean, 2,300 miles west of the coast of Chile and 2500 miles southeast
of Tahiti. The closest island is 1400 miles away, and that island is
uninhabited. Easter Island is only 15 miles long and 10 miles wide. Yet, Easter
Island, which was almost uninhabited when it was discovered on Easter Day in
1722 by a Dutch captain, is covered with hundreds of giant statutes, each
weighing several tons and some standing more than 30 feet tall.
Who built these statutes and why and how did they get there?
One theory suggests that Easter Island was inhabited by Polynesian seafarers, who traveled thousands of miles in their canoes, guided by the stars, the rhythms of the ocean, the color of sky and the sun, the shapes of clouds, the direction from which the swells were coming, and the presence of birds making flights out to sea seeking food. The Polynesians first arrived on the island in 400 A.D. However, the ocean currents which carried them there would not take them back. They were trapped and, having arrived there, could not leave.
Another Theory
Who built these statutes and why and how did they get there?
One theory suggests that Easter Island was inhabited by Polynesian seafarers, who traveled thousands of miles in their canoes, guided by the stars, the rhythms of the ocean, the color of sky and the sun, the shapes of clouds, the direction from which the swells were coming, and the presence of birds making flights out to sea seeking food. The Polynesians first arrived on the island in 400 A.D. However, the ocean currents which carried them there would not take them back. They were trapped and, having arrived there, could not leave.
Another Theory
A pair of archaeologists have come up with a new theory: Perhaps the statues, known as moai, were "engineered to move" upright in a rocking motion, using only manpower and rope.
However, such a theory was only tested by scientists only across plain lands and not on slopes as seen on Easter Island. How the statues were moved still remains a mystery.
