Easter Island otherwise known as Rapa Nui, which is located at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle, is arguably one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. The nearest land to this Chilean island is located 2075 kilometers away.
Because of Easter Island's sheer distance to any other civilizations, it took until the 18th century before European contact with the island's natives was established. Upon arrival Spanish explorers took note of peculiar stone statues that line the island. Other than the statues, the island reportedly housed 2000 to 3000 inhabitants during the time of its discovery.
Scientists and historians have previously claimed that Easter Island was once populated with tens of thousands of residents before the arrival of the Europeans. However, the reason for the demise of this presumed civilization remains a mystery. Fortunately, it seems like researchers have made a significant breakthrough that might finally uncover the mysteries of Easter Island.
Anthropologists from Binghamton University in New York recently published a study exploring the different weapons from Rapa Nui residents called "Mata'a." The researchers examined more than 400 of these weapons and have discovered that the mata'a's would not have made good weapons after all.
Moreover, despite the island's relative remoteness and its limited resources, no evidence of systemic warfare has been charted on the area.
"There's no question that there's going to be competition on the island. It is an island with finite resources. But the interesting thing is that it doesn't appear to have led to lethal violence" said Lipo.
This has led researchers to believe that earlier assumptions that Rapa Nui was home to tens of thousands of residents before the arrival of the Europeans might have been false. Anthropologists including Lipo have since gushed about their discovery. He explained that the mystery of the Rapa Nui civilization has gotten even more exciting in the light of their breakthrough.