Scientists Think They’ve Finally Solved The Mystery Of Why These Easter Island Statues Were Built
On a remote island located in the southeastern Pacific, a series of large statues line the coast. Nobody knew exactly why they were built until now.
A group of archaeologists from Binghamton University in New York discovered that the main water supply for the ancient inhabitants of Easter Island may be why the majority of the island’s statues are concentrated on the coasts.
Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, has only a small amount of freshwater available for use. The archaeologists determined that the people who lived there likely depended on groundwater discharge in coastal areas as their source of drinking water.
Most of the 900 statues were constructed along the coast of the island. The reason behind their location puzzled experts for a long time, but now all the pieces have come together.
According to Carl Lipo, a member of the research team and a professor of anthropology at Binghamton University, the statues were situated there because fresh water was within easy reach.
The researchers tested the salinity levels of the coastal water to see if it was safe enough for humans to drink.
After measuring the percentage of salt and deeming it safe, they concluded that groundwater discharge played a critical role in sustaining the island’s population.
The island has just two lakes, and both are a challenge to access. There is also a single spring that has been described as a “wetland bog” unsuitable for drinking.
Additionally, several cisterns used to hold rainwater were present on the island. However, they only collected small amounts.
Aliaksei – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
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Plus, the island received 49 inches of rainfall per year, which was not enough to meet the needs of the people on the island.
As a result, the team was able to narrow down the islanders’ main source of drinking water as groundwater. The island’s ancient inhabitants could collect that freshwater for drinking.
“The porous volcanic soils quickly absorb rain, resulting in a lack of streams and rivers,” Lipo explained.
“Fortunately, water beneath the ground flows downhill and ultimately exits the ground directly at the point at which the porous subterranean rock meets the ocean. When tides are low, this results in the flow of freshwater directly into the sea.”
Next, the researchers plan to continue studying freshwater on Easter Island to identify the relationship between freshwater availability and the building methods of the giant statues.
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