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I think the "scientific consensus" you describe never existed. I am no specialist myself, but I remember reading a long article about Easter Island, signed by

I think the "scientific consensus" you describe never existed. I am no specialist myself, but I remember reading a long article about Easter Island, signed by several archaeologists. They were really annoyed by the charismatic people that propagated their romantic views on Easter Island and ignored everything the archaeology proved. IIRC they especially blamed the popular book "Collapses", though others non-historians neither archaeologists, like the Kon-Tiki leader, had propagated other fantasies. Studies proved the Rapa Nui inhabitants were better fed than inhabitants of other Pacific islands, though the women were below the average and the men above. They had developed technologies that palliated the lack of trees, notably an atypical irrigation system: they scattered black stones in their fields where water condensated at night. There are no remains of wars: no heaps of bodies and no weapons. The moais were not brought down by conflicts, they were laid down delicately when the funeral practices changed. At the same time, the inhabitants stopped producing moais, but it was not abrupt, and no statue was left unfinished because of this. No trace of a collapse until the Europeans arrived.

aldoushuxley001 8y ago
I've encountered the "scientific consensus" that OP describes while being taught biology at University in Canada. It certainly seems that part of the issue is that "scientific consensus" is frequently wrongly claimed even though there may be a consensus among many mainstream academics in a network.
weeksie 8y ago
There are TONS of unfinished moai still in the quarry. I've seen plenty of unfinished, half-carved statues there. Many of the broken and restored moai were pulled down and broke at the neck, which would imply that they were not set down gently. I thought the rise of the birdman cult had something to do with giving up on creating new moai. That would have been a fun contest: annual swim out to a sharp rock where you have to steal a bird egg and bring it back to shore. But the water was shark infested and your fellow competitors would try to stab you to get the sharks riled up. In any case, Rapa Nui/Easter Island is an amazing place with a fascinating history.
skrebbel 8y ago
> I think the "scientific consensus" you describe never existed. I appreciate the correction. Thanks.

aldoushuxley001 8y ago

I've encountered the "scientific consensus" that OP describes while being taught biology at University in Canada. It certainly seems that part of the issue is that "scientific consensus" is frequently wrongly claimed even though there may be a consensus among many mainstream academics in a network.

weeksie 8y ago

There are TONS of unfinished moai still in the quarry. I've seen plenty of unfinished, half-carved statues there. Many of the broken and restored moai were pulled down and broke at the neck, which would imply that they were not set down gently. I thought the rise of the birdman cult had something to do with giving up on creating new moai. That would have been a fun contest: annual swim out to a sharp rock where you have to steal a bird egg and bring it back to shore. But the water was shark infested and your fellow competitors would try to stab you to get the sharks riled up. In any case, Rapa Nui/Easter Island is an amazing place with a fascinating history.

skrebbel 8y ago

> I think the "scientific consensus" you describe never existed. I appreciate the correction. Thanks.