Easter Island belongs to the state. Easter Island: "Mysterious Rapa Nui

Easter Island (Spanish: Isla de Pasqua, Polynesian: Rapa Nui) is one of the most isolated islands on Earth. The early settlers called the island "Te Pito O Te Henua" (Navel of the World). Officially a territory, Easter Island is located far in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway to Tahiti. Known for its mysterious giant stone statues built centuries ago, reflecting the history of the dramatic rise and fall of Polynesian culture.

general information

The name of the island is reminiscent of the fact that it was discovered by a Dutch exploration vessel on Easter Sunday in 1722.

Ever since Thor Heyerdahl and a small group of adventurers set sail from South America to the Tuamotu Islands, far north of Easter Island, controversy over the origin of the islanders has not abated. Nowadays, DNA testing has conclusively proved that the Polynesians came from the west, not the east, and that the inhabitants of Easter Island are the descendants of intrepid travelers who traveled there from Taiwan thousands of years ago. Legend has it that people went to Easter Island because their own island was gradually swallowed up by the sea.

In short, Easter Island's backstory is a succession of achievement, prosperity and civilization that ended in environmental destruction and decline. While there is no consensus as to when humans first appeared on Easter Island (estimated to be from a few hundred to over a thousand years ago), it is believed that the first humans arrived from Polynesia. This was hardly a mistake or an accident: the evidence suggests that Easter Island was deliberately colonized by large boats with many settlers - a significant feat, given the distance from Easter Island to any other land in the Pacific Ocean.

The first islanders found the land undoubtedly a heavenly place. Archaeological evidence shows that the island was covered with trees of various types, including the largest palm species in the world, whose bark and wood the natives used to make cloth, ropes and canoes. Birds were abundant. The mild climate favored an easy life, and the abundant waters provided fish and oysters.

The islanders thrived on these advantages and reflected this in the religion that became their leisure - the giant moai, or heads, that are the most distinctive feature of the island today. The moai that dot the island are believed to have been depictions of ancestors, whose presence was probably considered a blessing or vigilant guard in every small village.

The ruins of the Rano Raraku crater in the quarry, where dozens, if not hundreds, of moai are located in the very center, are a testament to the importance of these figures to the islanders and the fact that their lives revolved around these creations. It has been suggested that their isolation from all other peoples working in the center of commerce and creativity was created by the expectation of some other significant path destined for them, for which they could use their skills and resources. The human bird in culture (in the form of petroglyphs) is clear evidence of the hopes of the islanders for the opportunity to leave their island for the sake of distant lands.

However, as the population grew, the pressure on the island's environment increased as well. Deforestation of trees on the island gradually increased, and when this main resource was depleted, the islanders found it difficult to continue making ropes, canoes and everything needed for hunting and fishing, and ultimately to maintain a culture that encouraged the islanders to produce giant stone figures. Apparently, divisions began to intensify (with some violence), confidence in the old religion was lost, which was reflected in part in the ruins of the moai, which they deliberately overthrew.

By the end of the glorious culture of Easter Island, the population had reached a minimum, with the inhabitants sometimes resorting to cannibalism and raw food due to the small amount of food or means of obtaining a livelihood. Even the subsequent raids of powers such as and did not devastate the population so much, in the last century there were only a few hundred natives of Rapa Nui.

Today Rapa Nui National Park is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its residents rely on many tourist and economic connections and daily flights to Santiago. Like many indigenous peoples, Rapa Nui is looking for artifacts from their past and trying to integrate their culture with the political, economic and social realities of today. You can book a hotel on Easter Island at, and you can check if there is a better price. Some travelers prefer to rent accommodation from locals - you can look at the offers.

How to get there

Due to the extreme geographic isolation of Easter Island, many people believe that only the very adventurous traveler can reach it. Indeed, it can be reached via regular commercial air travel, Hanga Roa (IATA: IPC), as tourism is the island's main industry.

Since this place is de facto a part, this is a domestic flight from Santiago and no passports are required upon arrival from Chile. There are also flights from Tahiti - then your passport will be needed.

However, these are rather “routes” for most people, with a minimum of 5.5 hours in the air from the nearest continent, and there are very few routes to get to Easter Island. Only regular LAN Airlines flights fly daily to Santiago de and once a week to Tahiti. With no competition for this long and challenging flight, fares range from US $ 400 to US $ 1,200 per flight from Santiago. You can find out how much the flight will cost for your dates in the Trevelask section.

Easter Island is said to be "conveniently located" when it is revealed to be on the world travel map, where it acts as an interesting stopover between Polynesia and South America and also helps to reinforce the perception of outsiders. Because of the waves, only one in four cruise ships can dock here.

If you want to travel on a fearless route, the "sailboat" Soren Larsen sails to Easter Island from New Zealand once a year. The journey takes 35 days, crossing the point farthest from earth.

If possible, consider landing in Santiago after returning from Easter Island. There is a small chance that you will be denied boarding on your flight if a medical evacuation is needed, and the planned stop will give you more options if you are faced with this. The plane sometimes leaves the island late, and as a result, you may have problems with further connections on the mainland.

By plane

Prompt:

Easter Island - the time is now

Difference in hours:

Moscow 8

Kazan 8

Samara 9

Yekaterinburg 10

Novosibirsk 12

Vladivostok 15

When is the season. When is the best time to go

Prompt:

Easter Island - monthly weather

Major attractions. What to see

The biggest attractions on Easter Island are the figures standing on solemn platforms called ahu, moai.

Please note that moai and their platforms are protected by law and should not be approached under any circumstances. Don't go on ah. This is extremely disrespectful, and in case you damage the places, even by accident, the punishment will be severe. Recently, a German tourist who broke a moai ear was sentenced to criminal charges and a $ 10,000 fine.

Rano Raraku and Orongo require an entrance ticket to the National Park, which can be bought at the airport upon arrival or at the CONAF office. You need a ticket to enter both places, so make sure you have it safe. The rest of the island can be visited without a ticket.

Ahu are mainly located along the coastline of the island. For the first time, visitors may be amazed at how many archaeological sites there are around the island, where you can go almost alone depending on the season and time of day.

Each clan usually had a guardian, although not all of them were moai, so if you travel along the southern coast of the island, you will see that each mile has sections of ruins.

Two exceptional sites are the volcanic craters Rano Cau Rano and Raraku. A little deeper in the quarry at “Rano Raraku” there is a place where most of the moai were created, on the side of a hill. It is a 300-foot cooled volcano that provided rocks for great creations. The visitor can see the various stages of the carving, as well as partially finished figures scattered around. The ascent along the left side of the volcano, to the top and inside the crater, will be remembered for a long time. The opposite side of the crater, where some of the moai have been carved, is one of the most dramatic locations on the island, but unfortunately not available at this time.

Likewise, Rano Kau is a remnant of a volcanic cone, ash, like Rano Raraku, filled with fresh rainwater and having a speckled unearthly look that is breathtaking. Nearby there are other points of view of Hanga Roa.

Often overlooked, Easter Island's particularly captivating attractions are its extensive cave systems. While there are several "official" caves that are quite interesting in their own right, there are numerous unofficial caves on the island, most of which are located near Ana Kakenga. Studying them will make you feel like a real adventurer.

The CONAF (National Park Maintenance Organization) has classified the caves as dangerous for tourists, and park rangers have been regulating access to the caves since March 2014. According to the directions of the park rangers, there is a danger of collapse, especially Ana Te Pahu, which is located under the road. Consequently, tour operators will no longer take their clients to the caves (visiting the caves has now been replaced by excursions to other archaeological sites). At the moment there is no fence to prevent access and with local guides it is quite possible to visit the caves individually, although some precautions and restrictions should be observed.

While the openings in most of these caves are small (some are barely large enough to crawl through) and hidden (the background of a rather surreal lava field could be compared to the surface of Mars), many lead into prohibitively deep and vast cave systems. A note of caution: These caves can be dangerous because so many go much deeper. A man left without a torch will plunge into total darkness with little hope of being able to get out soon ... if it ever happens.

The caves are also extremely wet and slippery (some ceilings have collapsed due to water erosion). In addition, subtropical rain should not be underestimated. Climatic changes are very rapid and there is a risk of unexpectedly getting into a flood zone due to rain. And this is in a cave with limited space to move!

Beaches. Which is better

Easter Island has two white sand beaches. Anakena, on the north side of the island, is a great surfing spot with little waves. You can also surf the harbor at Hanga Roa, which many of the locals do. There is a small car park, a toilet (for the price of $ 1), several small barbecues with refreshments, and a shaded picnic area. Palms imported from Tahiti complete the calming effect. Anakena includes 2 ahu with moai. Be careful when walking under trees - coconuts may fall. Anakena is considered the place where the tribes of the colonialists first appeared on Easter Island, therefore it is called the birthplace of the island's civilization.

The second beach is the pearl of the island and is called Owahe, east of Anakena. This beautiful and deserted beach is surrounded by breathtaking cliffs. Please note: the path leading down to the beach is very uneven and the best way to get here is on foot. Off-road driving (as opposed to erroneous actions of some tourists) is considered illegal in most of the island.

Sometimes large waves wash away all the sand from Ovahe and then slowly return it. The last such incident occurred in 2012.

Some sources mention that it is possible to spend the night in one of the caves in the Ovahe beach area, but this information is outdated as water is currently seeping through the cracks. In addition, it is not recommended to enter the cave at night without an instructor.

Food. What to try

Hanga Roa restaurants are on the main street and next to the harbor, but there are several others scattered in the surrounding areas.

Traditional food includes curanto and tuna ahi.

Menus tend to be limited as most of the island's food has to be imported, which explains the level of prices on the island. Even in regular restaurants, snack prices start at $ 20 and up. The assortment of fish is quite large, as is the case in the continental one. Pizza and other familiar foods are available at the corner café next to the Catholic Church. A large pizza, however, will cost you 14,000 - 22,000 pesos. There is a large selection of toppings and a really varied menu.

There are 2 types of lobster. The big one is called a real lobster, and the small one, equally delicious, is called "Rape Rape" by the locals. Lobsters are currently protected and restrictions are imposed on fishing during the off-season.

The local tuna is considered a recognized delicacy for its white meat and is highly recommended. The octopus and several types of fish are delicious too.

There are also a few limited supply grocery stores (only a few can be considered true supermarkets) where visitors can pick up snacks, limited sundries, booze, etc. It should be noted that it is difficult to shop at the grocery stores on Easter Island. They are all quite small and their range is constantly changing. A large number of products are not on the shelves - you can get them only after consulting with the seller. If possible, it makes sense to bring canned food and drinks with you from the mainland. This will save you the need to overpay on the island, as well as provide you with everything you need.

Like the souvenir sellers, many restaurants on the island do not accept credit cards or have a high minimum cost. Gratuities are also included (10% is considered a polite level). However, check your receipt before paying for anything, as some restaurants add a mandatory service fee to your bill.

• Kanahau is good food and service on the main street.
• Kotaro is a Japanese restaurant with delicious food and excellent service from the chef himself.
• Kuki Varua - Great food and great service. Try to have your table on the second floor terrace.
• La Kaleta. A restaurant with great sea views and delicious food. It has the reputation of being the best restaurant on the island, so it's not the cheapest place either.
• La Taverne du Pêcheur is a small French restaurant in the harbor side of the village. Very good seafood. Perhaps the most expensive restaurant on the island. Some people think that the prices are too high.
• Mamma Nui is a traditional family restaurant. They specialize in tuna ahi.
• Pea. Despite the sea view, the high prices are not comparable to the quality of the main dishes.
• Tataku Vave. Since the restaurant is not located in the very center, you would not have been able to find this gem without recommendations from the front desk. The seafood, service and view are as good as the most expensive restaurants, but the prices are much more reasonable. They specialize in small lobsters ("Rape Rape"). An exquisite view of the sunset and the crashing of the waves. 8,000-12,000 pesos per person, plus drinks. Steep access road, however, can be driven slowly or by taxi.
• Te Moana. The restaurant moved from the main street to the extreme line in 2013. The tuna sandwich is especially good. A live orchestra often plays on Wednesdays and weekends.
• Te Ra "ai offers a package that includes relocation (hotel - restaurant - hotel), Polynesian dance show and Curanto dinner. The restaurant is located outside Hanga Roa. Reservation required as the restaurant is very popular. The show has some Brazilian influence due to with its owner.
• Varua, Atamu Takena. A new restaurant with all the classic trappings can be found on the island at good prices, plus an excellent menu for the main dishes of the day (appetizer, main course and fruit juice). Service and food are excellent.

Less expensive options include sandwiches and empanadas. Alternatively, you can find a local bakery and make your own sandwiches. Budget tourists or those looking for simple food can try the following options:

• Club Sandwich also has fantastic empanadas, but the sandwiches are their true calling and are worth trying. Try banana and orange smoothies, if available. To my shame they are not open for breakfast.
• Donde el Gordo on Church Street is also a good option for those looking for simple food, but their sandwiches are a little more expensive.
• Mahina Tahai is a classic large “menu” that includes bread, butter, soup, fish and rice steak, juice and dessert.
• Miro is located close to the cemetery, there are great pizzas.
• Piroto Henua is a sports bar with a simple menu next to the airport entrance.

Beverages

The Chilean drink pisco, made from fermented grapes, is the island's unofficial drink. However, pisco is sour and should be mixed with lemon juice and egg whites, which is the best option if you're not used to whiskey or rum. Drinking pisco has a lower degree than vodka, although the Chileans do not recommend it.

The island also offers papaya, mango or guava drinks, depending on the season. All these natural juices are blended with pisco. About 4,000 pesos at the restaurant.

Another common cocktail is piscola, pisco with coca cola.

The local brewery is called Mahina and produces light craft beer and stout. It was closed for almost 2 years between 2012 and 2014, but is currently working again. Delicious bottled souvenirs are also produced. Despite its name and local owner, the Akivi brand is produced on the mainland (the brewery is located in Quilpué).

The usual rate for a can of soda in a restaurant or hotel seems to be around 1,500 to 2,000 pesos. You can buy beer for the same price.

Security. What to watch out for

In practice, there is no street crime in Hanga Roa. Thus, well-behaved tourists need not be afraid of anything. Tourists who need police assistance can contact the local PDI (Chilean Federal Police) office, which is located outside the city, minutes away by taxi and is open until 6pm. However, keep in mind: officers usually only speak Spanish.

If you have lost your passport, you can file a report for 500 pesos, as well as replace your visa application form; A photocopy of the document will be invaluable in this case. Submitting this report will allow you to board the plane back to Santiago, the rest will be decided at your embassy.

It is dark in the mornings during the winter months (June - August) and it can be cold at night until spring (September - October). Depending on the season, you should not forget about sun and wind protection.

Hepatitis B shots are offered by the CDC to Easter Island visitors mainly due to street food vendors and tropical water consumption. Easter Island officials insist the water is safe, but some say it tastes different and could therefore disrupt your intestinal flora. Avoid drinking tap water and eating street food until you know how it will affect you. Let the hotels prepare all the food and drink for the stomachs of tourists, and therefore be safer than restaurants. Day trips organized by travel companies often include a ready-to-eat lunch. They should also be safe, as many travel companies are hotel-affiliated and get their food from the kitchens of travel hotels, but if in doubt, ask.

There are many stray dogs on Easter Island. It is advisable not to let them approach, as some of the dogs are unpredictable. Get rid of stray dogs with a commanding voice and stern gestures. If you are bitten by a dog, go to the hospital and get a rabies shot.

Visitors to Anakena Beach should be careful when walking under the palm trees. Coconuts can fall and hurt you. In addition, there are many vendors of very exotic looking food and drinks on Anakena Beach that are interesting to try, but always keep in mind that there is no running water in this part of the island, so food hygiene and safety should be an important criterion when purchase. If you decide to get the hepatitis vaccine before arriving on the island, keep in mind that it involves three shots and will take several months for full protection.

Remember that some of the island locations can only be reached after a long journey, sometimes steep and potholed. Always ask your instructors about this. A path over 700 meters long will tire you quickly. Travelers will enjoy more if, especially in key areas, physical activity is not a problem.

Travelers who have difficulty walking, using stairs or wheelchairs will be restricted in travel. The tracks simply do not support wheeled transport. The stairs can be very steep and quite narrow for people walking up and down the same steps. Steep slopes sometimes do not have safety rails. Most of the trails are not comfortable and can be narrow. It is not allowed to leave the trail: this will entail a complaint from your guide and it is also against the rules of the park.

Things to do

Some areas of the restoration zone (Pua Catici and Terevaca peninsula) are forested. These sites may only be accessible for hiking or horse riding. Access to the recovery areas by car is strictly prohibited.

Much of the west coast may not be accessible by vehicle and thus only hiking or horse riding (limited availability) remains.

Snorkeling is a popular pastime, even though there are current partial restrictions in some areas (near the islands of Motu Nui and Motu Ichi). There are diving centers that rent equipment and organize boat excursions for divers: Atariki Rapa Nui, Orca and Mike Rapu Diving.

Large sea turtles can be seen near the fishing boats.

Tours

Group tours are the most common way to explore the island. Given the lack of public transport, sharing the tour with a group of tourists is an effective way to reduce the burden on the environment. Travel companies also provide private tours.

Local guides can also show you some aspects of island life that you might never have seen or heard.

Travel agencies sell vacation packages that include accommodation and excursions. However, only places officially owned by the company can legally provide their services tax-free (the invoices they give you, Law 16.441). This means that you will avoid VAT and other taxes when you contact the operators directly.

There are 4 well-established local tour operators, each with at least ten years of experience.

Aku Aku Turismo. Tour operator mainly providing Spanish group tours. Their office is located next to Hotel Manutara's reception.

Kia Koe Tour, Atamu Tekena s / n, Hanga Roa, ☎ +56 32 210-0852. The main tour operator on Easter Island. The office is located on the main street. Tours are available in groups or with a private guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese. They also provide serviced charters and cruisers. The company was founded in 1984.

Mahinatur. One of the oldest tour operators, their specialty is tours in French.

Rapa Nui Travel. Tour operator providing mainly German group tours.

The Tourist Information Center also offers contact with freelancers, but professional guides work mainly with major tour operators.

Easter Island Travel. Specializes in private groups, has experience in adventure and independent cruise excursions. English and Spanish speaking guides.

Green Island Tours-Easter Island.

When dealing with small companies or self-employed freelancers, you should always have a description of the services and the total cost in writing for your own safety. In addition, law firms in, including Easter Island, have a RUT (9-digit code).

Hike

Hiking is pretty easy on Easter Island. It is not necessary to hire a guide for this, although it may be worthwhile to see some of the hidden archaeological treasures of these routes. If you decide to do this without a guide, all you need is a simple map and some recommendations from the porter or park rangers (especially taking into account local laws and regulations).

The most popular trekking options are recovery zones. They are not accessible for any type of vehicle (even the old paths are still partially visible, these areas are not allowed to visit):

Trekking to Terevau, the highest point of the island, is fairly easy. The way to the top will take about 1.5 hours, and take another hour on the way back (from and to Ahu Akivi). Or you can start from Vaitei (about half way to the main beach of Anakena). You can also get there on horseback (as a rule, such tours take place every morning, depending on the weather).

Rano Kau can be easily reached on foot. When you reach the volcanic crater, simply follow the eastern side of the crater to see landscapes not accessible by other vehicles. You can also go to Orongo or just take a guided tour.

The hike along the northwest coast will take about 5-7 hours and will require some planning and preparation. You can simply take a taxi to Anakena's main beach and drive back along the coast to Hanga Roa. You can also go on horseback, although it is less accessible (the route is less popular and more expensive than the others). Although there are several archaeological sites, which, however, are not of great interest. Among them, for example, a cave full of petroglyphs.

Pua Catici is an isolated northeastern peninsula with high steep cliffs. Some of them are currently used as grazing areas for cattle. The ascent to the top will take about 1.5 hours. Along the way, you can see some interesting monuments, including the infamous "Cave of the Virgin".

Shopping and shops

Since there is only one village on the island, Hanga Roa, craft markets and shops are mainly located on its main street, church street or nearby.

Many local small-scale producers are located in large areas close to tourist bus stops - worth seeing if you are looking for local artisan products or limited-edition souvenirs that cannot be found in other countries. You can also buy souvenirs at the airport, but they will be mass produced.

The official currency is the Chilean peso (CLP), but unlike the continental one, here you can pay in cash using dollars (USD). Almost all hotels and business people accept USD payment, but you should recalculate to see which rate is best for you. Taxi drivers only accept small USD bills.

Some guidebooks claim that you can use Euros (EUR), but this information is false, although some gift shops will readily accept cash. However, it is possible to exchange euros at a gas station at a reasonable rate (more convenient than at banks).

When buying souvenirs, it is better to pay in cash. Often sellers will inflate the minimum cost or charge for services for using a credit card (about 10 - 20%) - only in cases where the seller accepts credit cards at all; many smaller manufacturers only accept cash.

There are a total of 2 ATMs on the island. ATM in front of Banco Estado on Tu "at maheke Hanga Roa accepts only Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard, except for branded Visa cards. ATM on Polikarpo Toro accepts Visa, Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard. Previously, there were ATMs in the departure hall of the airport, as well as inside the gas station but both stopped working (July 2013).

The local bank can issue loans to the Visa card, but it is open part-time (Monday through Friday, 08.00 - 13.00) and the lines can be long, especially at the end of the month.

One of the most peculiar things on the island is the banks (CONAF and almost all businesses). They are very picky when it comes to the state of dollar bills. Banknotes are not considered valid if they are torn, wet, damaged markings, or even if they are old and frayed. These bills can be saved for some other purpose. However, when you borrow dollars on your own (or exchange money before visiting the island), you must keep this in mind.

Unlike continental, 19% VAT is not charged on Easter Island.

Clubs and nightlife

The island's nightlife is less active than in major cities and the main attraction is definitely the Polynesian dance shows. Kari Kari on the main street, Wai Te Mihi near the cemetery and Te Ra "ai restaurant outside Hanga Roa have their own specialties throughout the year (except for the holiday period and Tapati when dancers participate in festival events). Discos, Toroko and piriti are places where you could easily fit into a crowd of locals.

How to get back

LAN Airlines has scheduled flights to and from (daily), Lima (currently discontinued) and Tahiti (weekly). If you are flying from a foreign airport, there will be a small cash exit fee.!

Anything to add?

Easter Island(Spanish Isla de Pascua) is a volcanic island belonging to the South Pacific, between Chile and the island of Tahiti (fr. Tahiti). Together with a small uninhabited Fr. Sala i Gomez (Spanish: Isla Sala y Gómez) forms the commune and province of Isla de Pascua (Spanish Provincia de Isla de Pascua) within the region (Spanish: Region de Valparaíso). Local name given to the island by Polynesian whalers: Rapa Nui(Rapa Nui).

The only city of Anga Roa is the capital of the island.

About 6 thousand people live on the island, about 40% of them are Polynesians or Rapanui, indigenous people, the rest are mainly Chileans. Rapanui speak the Rapanui language, believers profess Catholicism. There are 70 extinct volcanoes on the island with an area of ​​about 165 km². They have not erupted even once in the 1,300 years since the day of its colonization. The island has the shape of a right-angled triangle with sides of 24, 18 and 16 km., At the corners of which the cones of extinct volcanoes rise: Rano-Kao (rap. Rano Kao; 324 m), Pua-Katiki (rap. Puakatike; 377 m) and Terevaka ( rap.Terevaka; 539 m - the highest point of the island). Between them lies a hilly plain formed by volcanic tuffs and basalts. Lava tubes and influxes have formed many underwater caves and a bizarre, steep coastline.

There are no rivers on Rapa Nui, the main sources of fresh water here are lakes formed in the craters of volcanoes.

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The climate is subtropical, with an average monthly temperature of + 18 ° C to + 23 ° C. Mostly herbs grow here, as well as a few eucalyptus and banana plants.

Along with the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, Rapa Nui is considered the most remote inhabited island in the world: the distance to the continental Chilean coast is almost 3514 km, and to the nearest inhabited place, the Pitcairn Islands, belonging to the UK - 2075 km ...

Basically, Rapa Nui became famous for its - stone giants, in which, according to the beliefs of the local population, the mystical power of the ancestors of Hotu Mato-a, the first king of the island, lies.

Easter Island is undoubtedly the most mysterious island in the world. With its wonders and inexplicable riddles, it magnetically attracts the attention of historians, geologists and culturologists.

History

In 1722 a squadron of 3 ships under the command of a Dutch traveler, Admiral Jacob Roggeveen (Dutch Jacob Roggeveen; 1659-1729), heading from South America in search of the riches of the Unknown Southern Land (Latin Terra Australis Incognita), on Sunday 7 April, the day of Christian Easter, I discovered a small island in the South Pacific. At a council convened by the admiral, the ship captains signed a resolution announcing the opening of a new island. Surprised travelers found that on Easter Island (as the sailors immediately dubbed it) three different races coexist peacefully: reds, blacks and white people. The locals met the travelers differently: some waved their hands in a friendly manner, while others threw stones at uninvited guests.

The Polynesians, the inhabitants of Oceania, call the island "Rapa Nui" (rap. Rapa Nui - Big Rapa), however, the islanders themselves call their homeland "Te-Pito-o-te-Henua" (rap. Te-Pito-o -te-henua, which means " the center of the world»).

Formed by a series of large volcanic eruptions, the secluded island has been home to seabird colonies for millions of years. And its steep, steep banks marked the route of navigation for the ships of Polynesian seafarers.

Legends say that about 1200 years ago, King Hotu Mato-a descended on the sandy beach of Anakena and began to colonize the island. Then, for many centuries, a mysterious society existed on this island lost in the ocean. For unknown reasons, the islanders have been carving giant statues known as "moai". These idols are considered one of the most inexplicable ancient artifacts on Earth today. The islanders built villages from houses of an unusual, elliptical shape. Presumably, the newly arrived settlers adapted their boats for temporary housing by turning them upside down. Then houses began to be built in a similar way, most of the hundreds of such buildings were destroyed by the missionaries.

By the time the island was discovered, its population was 3-4 thousand people. The first settlers found lush vegetation on the island. Giant palms (up to 25 m in height) grew in abundance here, which were cut down for the construction of houses and boats. People brought here a variety of plants, which perfectly took root in the soil enriched with volcanic ash. By 1500, the population of the island was already 7-9 thousand people.

As the population grew, separate clans were formed, concentrated in different parts of Easter Island, linked by the general construction of statues and the cult that arose around them.

In 1862, Peruvian slave traders took out most of the inhabitants of the island and destroyed their original culture. In 1888, Rapa Nui was annexed to Chile. Today, the islanders are engaged in fishing, agriculture - the cultivation of sugar cane, taro, sweet potatoes, bananas, and also work on cattle farms and make souvenirs for tourists.

Sights and mysteries of Rapa Nui

Despite its small size, Easter Island has many attractions, both natural and man-made. In 1995, the Rapa Nui National Park (Spanish el Parque Nacional de Rapa Nui National) was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Register.

The entire territory of the island is an archaeological reserve, a single amazing open-air museum.

Easter Island has 2 sandy beaches: located in the northern part of the island, Anakena Beach (Spanish Playa Anakena), one of the few beaches officially allowed to swim, a great place for surfers. The second beautiful deserted beach located along the southern coast of the island is a real gem called Ovahe (Spanish Playa Ovahe). Ovahe is surrounded by picturesque cliffs, it is much larger than Anaken.

The main attraction of the island and an unsolved mystery that has haunted scientists for centuries, of course, are the Moai sculptures. Huge ancient statues rise almost everywhere along the southern part of the island.

It is not known why the islanders began to massively create gigantic statues. Their incomprehensible obsession subsequently led to a catastrophic depletion of forest resources. The forest needed to transport the giant moai was cut down mercilessly. The first monolithic sculptures as tall as a man were made from basalt. Then the islanders began to make huge statues (more than 10 m high, weighing up to 20 tons) from soft volcanic tuff (compressed volcanic ash), an ideal material for sculpting. Located a little in the depths of the island, the Rano Raraku crater (Spanish: Rano Raraku; a small extinct volcano up to 150 m high) is a place where famous giants were carved. Hundreds of islanders worked on their creation from morning to evening. Today, here you can see all the stages of painstaking work, unfinished figures are scattered right there. Probably, the manufacture of statues by skilled sculptors took place in compliance with numerous ceremonies and rituals. If a defect occurred during the making of the statue, which was considered a sign of the devil, the carvers abandoned the work and took on another.

When the statue was hewn and the lintel connecting it to the crater rock was cut off, the figure rolled down the slope. At the base of the crater, the statues were placed upright and finalized here. How were the massive moai then transported to various places on the island? The statues weighed up to 82 tons at a height of up to 10 m. Sometimes they were moved and installed at distances over 20 km!

As the Easter legends say, the moai ... went to their places on their own. Some researchers believed they were being dragged. They later came to the conclusion that the figures moved in an upright position. How it all looked in reality remains another unsolved mystery of Easter Island's civilization.

In 1868 the British tried to take one of the statues home. However, they abandoned this venture, limiting themselves to a small bust (2.5 m high). It was installed in the British Museum in London. Hundreds of natives and the entire crew of the ship took part in the process of transporting and loading the "baby".

At the site, the statues were installed on ahu (rap. Ahu) - polished stone platforms of various sizes, slightly inclined towards the sea. Then the final stage of the creation of cult figures took place - the installation of eyes made of volcanic glass or coral. The heads of many stone idols were decorated with “hats” (rap. Pukao) of reddish rock.

The moai pedestals are more than 3 m high, the length is up to 150 m, and the weight of the stone slabs that make them up is up to 10 tons. Near the crater of the volcano, about 200 unfinished figures were found, among which there are giants over 20 m in length.

Over time, the number of moai reached 1000, which made it possible to build an almost continuous line of monuments along the coast of Rapa Nui. The reason why the inhabitants of the tiny island spent time and energy creating numerous giants remains a mystery today.

It is believed that the sculptures of Easter Island were images of noble representatives of the clans. The statue's typical design - legless, with an angular grim face, protruding chin, tightly compressed lips, and a low forehead - remains one of Easter Island's greatest mysteries. All statues (except for seven moai located in the middle of the island) stand on the coast and "look" into the sky towards the island. Some experts consider them to be the guardians of the dead, who protected the deceased from natural elements with powerful backs. Mysterious giants, silently lined up on the coast, with their backs turned to the Pacific Ocean, are like a powerful army guarding the peace of their possessions.

Despite some primitiveness of the moai, the statues are mesmerizing. The giants look especially impressive in the evening, in the rays of the setting sun, when only huge, blood-curdling silhouettes appear against the sky ...

So, the Rapa Nui civilization reached its heyday, then something terrible happened.

An ominous story about the merciless use of natural resources and the devastation of the island was revealed. The Europeans who set foot on Easter Island for the first time were amazed how people could survive in such a desolate place. It ceased to be a mystery when recent studies showed that in ancient times the island was covered with dense forest, there was an abundant tropical paradise here.

Apparently, the resources of the island seemed inexhaustible, trees were cut down for the construction of dwellings and canoes, and giant palms - for transporting moai.

The destruction of the forest has led to soil erosion and depletion. Poor harvests, lack of food led to armed conflicts between the island clans, moai - symbols of power and success - were overthrown. The struggle intensified over time, according to legend, the winners ate their enemies to gain strength. In the southwestern part of Rapa Nui there is a cave "Ana Kai Tangata", the name of which is ambiguous: it can mean "a cave where people eat", or maybe - "a cave where people were eaten." The Rapa Nui culture, which had formed over the past 300 years, collapsed.

Due to the lack of forest, the islanders were cut off from the outside world even more than before. Even fishing proved to be difficult for them. Easter Island has become a devastated, desolate stretch of land with depleted soils, with about 750 survivors. In these conditions, the cult of the bird-man was born here. Over time, it acquired the status of the dominant religion on the island, practiced until 1866-1867.

Due to the lack of material for building a canoe and the ability to sail away from the island, the Rapanui people watched with envy the birds soaring in the sky.

On the edge of the Rano-Kao crater was founded the ritual village of Orongo (rap. Orongo), where the god of fertility Makemake (rap. MakeMake) was worshiped and a kind of competition was held between men of different clans.

In the spring, each clan selected the most physically prepared warriors who needed to descend from steep slopes to the sea teeming with sharks, swim to one of the islands and bring from there an unharmed egg of a sea bird, a dark mallard (Latin Onychoprion fuscatus). The warrior who was the first to deliver the egg was proclaimed the Bird-Man (the earthly incarnation of the deity Makemake). He received awards and special privileges, and his tribe received the right to rule the island for a year, until the next competition.

Unique sights of Orongo are also hundreds of petroglyphs that have survived for centuries, carved by Bird-Men in solid basalt rock. It is believed that the petroglyphs represent the winners of the annual competition. About 480 such petroglyphs have been found around Orongo.

The culture of Rapanui began to revive, perhaps the inhabitants of the island would again be able to flourish, but in December 1862 ships of Peruvian slave traders moored to the island and took away all the able-bodied inhabitants of the island. At the time, the economy was booming and needed labor. Due to poor nutrition, unbearable working conditions and illness, no more than a hundred islanders survived. And only thanks to the intervention of France, the surviving residents of Rapa Nui were returned to the island. At the time of the annexation of the island to Chile in 1888, about 200 indigenous people lived here.

Missionaries who arrived on the island found a decaying society here, it did not take long for its inhabitants to convert to Christianity. Changes were immediately made to the clothing of the indigenous population, or rather, its complete absence. The inhabitants of the island were deprived of their ancestral lands, they lived in a small part of the island, while the arrived farmers used the rest of the land for agriculture.

Tattoos were banned, houses and ritual shrines were destroyed, and Rapanui works of art were destroyed. All wooden sculptures of the island, religious artifacts, and, most importantly, "" (rap. Rongo Rongo) - wooden planks of the "talking tree", speckled with a unique script, were destroyed. Easter Island is the only island in Polynesia whose inhabitants have developed their own writing system. Ancient legends, traditions, religious chants were carved with a shark's tooth on planks of dark toromiro wood, only a few of which have survived to this day. Cohau plaques with inscribed on them images of a winged bird-man, frogs, turtles, lizards, stars, crosses and spirals are another mystery of the outlandish island, which scientists have not been able to decipher for more than 130 years. Now there are only 25 left rongo rongo scattered in museums around the world.

In 1988, Rapa Nui presented scientists with another surprise. During excavations in a small swamp in the interior of the island, Australian scientists found the remains of a medieval knight in full gear, sitting on a war horse. In the peat, which has conservative properties, the knight and the horse are well preserved. Judging by his armor, the knight was a member of the German Catholic Livonian Order (1237-1562). Gold Hungarian ducats minted in 1326 were found in a belt wallet; these coins were in circulation in Poland and Lithuania. Scientists have not been able to explain how the rider ended up thousands of kilometers away on a remote Pacific island. Before the discovery of America (1492) from 1326 there were more than 150 years! Thoughts about the existence of the phenomenon of teleportation involuntarily come to mind. No more convincing arguments explaining the appearance of the medieval knight-crusader on Easter Island have been found to this day.

A little sad digression

The phenomenal Easter Island, which is a small piece of land (only 165 m²), at the time of the construction of the mysterious giants was 3-4 times larger than before. Some part of it, like Atlantis, disappeared under water. In calm, sunny weather, areas of flooded land are visible through the water column. There is even such an incredible version: the mysterious Easter Island is a tiny surviving part of the ancestor of mankind, the mythical continent Lemuria, which sank about 4 million years ago.

And the pearl island, located in Oceania far from civilization, prompts certain thoughts and conclusions. The history of Easter Island is a miniature copy of the history of our time. She is able to teach an object lesson to us, the inhabitants of the planet Earth. All of us, in essence, are inhabitants of an island floating in the endless ocean.

On a tiny piece of land, which is Easter Island, the consequences of a barbaric attitude towards nature, ruthless deforestation are well traced. The inhabitants, continuing their monstrous actions, probably prayed to their gods to make up for the damage done to their land. To continue to abuse her further.

What could the gods do? There is only one thing - to reason with the man who cut down the last tree. The man understood that this tree was the last one, nevertheless, he cut it down. This is the most terrible tragedy of our time ...

Guided by the name of the island. But the island was created long before the concept of Easter arose, and there are much more anomalies in it, so we learn new knowledge right after the end of the world 🙂

Easter Island is an island in the Pacific Ocean, the farthest from land of all known islands (as a result of which tourism to this island is expensive). The island is of volcanic origin and is located at the intersection of several lithospheric plates (below it is the boundary of the fault of giant tectonic plates that seem to divide the ocean floor; the oceanic plates of Nazca, the Pacific and the axial zones of the underwater ocean ridges converge on the island). Well, the most famous attraction is the stone statues:

The island has the shape of a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse of which is the southeastern coast. The sides of this "triangle" are 16, 18 and 24 km long. Extinct volcanoes rise in the corners of the island:

1. Rano Kao (324 m)
2. Pua Catici (377 m)
3. Terevaka (539 m - the highest point of the island)

Let's start our tour of Easter Island with stone statues. All stone statues are monolithic, that is, carved from a single piece of stone, and not glued or stitched together. Ancient craftsmen carved "moai" - stone statues on the slopes of the Rano Roraku volcano, located in the eastern part of the island, from soft volcanic tuff. Then the finished statues were lowered down the slope and placed along the perimeter of the island, at a distance of more than 10 km. The height of most of the idols is from five to seven meters, while the later sculptures reached both 10 and 12 meters.

The statues wore hats of red pumice on their heads, and their eyes were painted:

Tuff, or, as it is also called, pumice, from which they are made, resembles a sponge in structure and easily crumbles even with a slight impact on it. so the average weight of a "moai" does not exceed 5 tons.

The stone statues were installed on stone "ahu" - platform-pedestals, which reached 150 meters in length and 3 meters in height, and consisted of pieces weighing up to 10 tons from the same pumice.

According to another version, the stone statues of Easter Island are estimated much more heavily: they say that their weight sometimes reaches more than 20 tons, and their height is more than 6 meters. An unfinished sculpture was found about 20 meters tall and weighing 270 tons.

In total, there are 997,397 stone moai statues on Easter Island. All moai, except for seven statues, "look" into the interior of the island. These seven statues also differ in that they are located inside the island, and not on the coast. A detailed map of the location of stone statues, as well as other attractions, can be viewed in this picture (click to enlarge):

It is also said that there are two types of statues on the island:

1. The first species, without "caps" (45% of the total), are 10-meter giants weighing 80 tons. All of them stand on the slopes of the Ranu-Raraku crater in sedimentary rocks up to the chest - this is for the reason that they are much older than other statues, those with "caps". The fact that these statues are much older than the second type of moai also indicates that the traces of erosion on them appeared much more clearly than on the "dwarf" 4-meter statues. In addition, moai giants of 10 meters height do not have "caps" and their appearance is slightly different from the second type. For example, their faces are narrower.
2. The second type is small 3-4-meter statues (32 percent of the total), which were placed on pedestals (ahu). All ahu are standing near the seashore. These moai have bizarre "hats". This type of moai is very well preserved. Their faces are more oval than the narrow-faced statues of the first type.

The erection of statues on Easter Island is a stumbling block among "rationalists" and "otherworldly". The first claim that all the statues could have been installed on the island by ordinary people using ordinary earthly means. Whereas the "otherworldly" bring anything from magic-mana to aliens as powers to install statues.

The Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl in his book "Aku-Aku" describes one of these methods, which was tested in action by local residents. According to the book, information about this method was obtained from one of the few remaining direct descendants of the Moai builders. So, one of the Moai, overturned from the pedestal, was erected back by using the logs slipped under the statue, as levers, by swinging which it was possible to achieve small movements of the statue along the vertical axis. The movements were recorded by placing stones of various sizes under the upper part of the statue and alternating them. The actual transportation of the statues could be carried out by means of wooden sleds.

Whoever is right, one thing is true: all the statues were made on this very island, in quarries. And from there they were transported to the installation site. How did you find out? Quite simply: many unfinished idols are in the quarries. When looking at them, one gets the impression of a sudden stop to work on the statues.

The photo shows one of the unfinished stone statues:

And here are some more unfinished statues on the side of the volcano:

Let us dwell on one more yet inexplicable phenomenon, which, of course, loses in scale, but goes head to head in mystery.

This is the mysterious writing of Easter Island. We can say that this is the most mysterious writing in the world. The latter is a fact all the more significant because until now it was not possible to find writing on the Polynesian islands.

On Easter Island, writing was found on relatively well-preserved wooden tablets, in the local dialect called kohau rongo-rongo. The fact that wooden planks have survived the darkness of centuries, many scientists explain by the complete absence of insects on the island. Nevertheless, most of them were eventually destroyed. But the culprit was not the tree bugs introduced by the white man, but the religious fervor of a certain missionary. The story goes that the missionary Eugène Eyraud, who converted the inhabitants of the island to Christianity, forced these writings to be burned as pagan.

Nevertheless, a certain number of tablets have survived. Today in museums and private collections in the world there are no more than two dozen kohau rongo-rongo. Many attempts have been made to decipher the content of the ideogram tablets, but they all ended in failure. By the way, studies of recent years have once again confirmed that on the kohau rongorongo tablets, each sign conveys only one word, and not the entire text is written on them, but only keywords, the rest were read by Rapanui from memory.

There is another interesting fact on the island. So, the first picture in the article shows the heads of statues with underground bodies. So, this image is not far from the truth. So, if you take and dig around some of the statues, you can dig up some very interesting things:

That is, some of the statues are much larger than they appear. And how they ended up underground is unknown: either by themselves, or they were initially buried.

Another mystery of the island is the purpose of the paved roads, the time of their creation is lost in the mists of time. On the Island of Silence - another name for the island - there are three of them. And all three end in the ocean. Some researchers, on the basis of this, conclude that the island was once much larger than it is now.

And finally, a trump card that breaks the arguments of the "rationalists". So, next to Rapanui is the tiny islet of Motunui. This is a few hundred meters of a steep cliff, dotted with numerous grottoes. Island on the map:

So, a stone platform has been preserved on it, on which statues were once installed, later thrown into the sea for some reason. And the question arises - how? How rationally can stone statues be delivered there? No way. Only with the help of unknown forces.

Which, by the way, begs the question: why? If rationalists justify the device of stone statues even if it is acceptable - for flood protection or for protection from something else, or as objects of worship, etc., then the supporters of the "otherworldly" hypothesis of the installation of statues have nothing to say. Think for yourself: why would people who possess supernatural abilities and can carry multi-ton boulders over a huge distance would do this? After all, they did not worship them: real power and superstition do not go hand in hand ...

So the hypothesis of "otherworldly" also disappears in vain. What is left? The facts remain:

• Easter Island, many hundreds of kilometers away from inhabited lands
• huge multi-ton statues (some are more than half dug into the ground)
• undeciphered writing
• roads of unknown purpose
• lack of intelligible theories of how it was all done.

And it turns out that Easter Island is a mystery that has not yet been solved.

And it will not work if the end of the world happens tomorrow 🙂

Based on materials http://agniart.ru/rus/showfile.fcgi?fsmode=articles&filename=16-3/16-3.html and http://www.ufo.obninsk.ru/pashi.htm

Mysterious moai statues Rapa Nui stand in silence, but speak eloquently about the achievements of their creators. The stone blocks from which the statues are carved in the form of a head and a torso are on average 4 meters high and weighing 14 tons. The effort to build these monuments and move them around the island must have been significant, but no one knows exactly why the people of Rapa Nui set themselves such a task. Most scholars suspect that moai were created in honor of ancestors, chiefs or other important characters, however, there is no verbal or written evidence of this on the island, so one cannot be sure of this. Polynesian society flourished in this unique place after hardy men led a fleet of wooden outrigger canoes to this tiny speck in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. Here, isolated about 3,700 kilometers west of South America and 1,770 kilometers from the nearest neighboring island, Rapa Nui has developed a distinct architectural and artistic culture. This culture reached its climax during the 16th century, when Rapa Nui was carved and installed around 900 moai throughout the island.
Believed to be in decline Rapa Nui followed by an environmental disaster that they themselves created. It is not clear when the islands were first inhabited; Estimates range from 800 AD. up to 1200. It is also not clear how quickly the island ecosystem was destroyed - but the main factor is the reduction of millions of giant palms for clearing fields and making fires. It is possible that the Polynesian rats arriving with human settlers ate enough seeds to help destroy the trees.
In any event, the loss of trees has severely eroded the island's rich volcanic soils. When the Europeans arrived in 1722, they found the island sparsely populated and mostly barren. Today, many tourists come here, mainly to visit the quarry Rano Raraku volcano where the stones were taken from to create almost all the moai on the island. Meanwhile, all over the island, many moai are gradually transforming from priceless figures into mere chunks of rock. Volcanic rocks are weathering and great efforts are needed to preserve heritage Rapa Nui in their present, impressive form.

How to get to Easter Island

It is a miracle that once, the Polynesian people were able to get to Easter Island. However, now it is much easier to do this, it is enough to buy a plane ticket.

When is the best time to visit Easter Island

The high season on Easter Island is the southern hemisphere summer, from January to March. Although it is quite comfortable here in winter, the average temperature is about 22 degrees, rarely dropping to 14 degrees. So, it is quite pleasant to spend time here at any time of the year. If you don't want to meet a lot of tourists, then come during the off-season.

How to get around the island

Cars, motorbikes and mountain bikes can be rented and are good ways for visitors to explore the island's scattered archaeological sites. While most people visit Easter Island to explore its history and culture, the island is also home to great diving, surfing, and tempting beaches.

Easter Island
isp. Isla de Pascua, rap. Rapa nui
Specifications
Square	163.6 km²
Highest point	539 m
Population	5806 people (2012)
Population density	35.49 people / km²
Location
27 ° 07'00 ″ S NS. 109 ° 21'00 ″ W etc.
Water area
Country
Region	Valparaiso
Provinces	Isla de Pasqua
Easter Island
Media files at Wikimedia Commons

Easter Island, or Rapanui(Spanish. Isla de pascua, brine. Rapa Nui, Netherlands. Paas eiland) - an island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, territory (together with the uninhabited island of Sala i Gomez forms the province and commune of Isla de Pasqua within the Valparaiso region). The local name of the island is Rapanui, or Rapa Nui(Rapa Nui). Area - 163.6 km².

Along with the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, it is the most remote inhabited island in the world. The distance to the continental coast of Chile is 3514 km, to the island, the nearest inhabited place, - 2075 km. The island was discovered by Dutch traveler Jacob Roggeven on Easter Sunday in 1722.

The capital of the island and its only city is Anga Roa. In total, 5806 people live on the island (2012).

Rapanui is largely known for the moai, or stone statues made of compressed volcanic ash, which, according to local beliefs, contain the supernatural power of the ancestors of the first king of Easter Island, Hotu-Matu'a. In 1888 it was annexed. In 1995, Rapanui National Park (Easter Island) became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Etymology

Easter Island Flag

Easter Island coat of arms

Easter Island has several names:

• Hititeaiiragi(rap. Hititeairagi), or Hiti-ai-ranks(rap. Hiti-ai-rangi);
• Tekaouhangoaru(rap. Tekaouhangoaru);
• Mata-ki-te-Ragi(rap. Mata-ki-te-Ragi, translated from Rapanui - "eyes looking into the sky");
• Te-Pito-o-te-Henua(rap. Te-Pito-o-te-henua - "the navel of the earth");
• Rapanui or Rapa Nui(rap. Rapa Nui - "Great Rapa"), a name mainly used by whalers;
• San Carlos island(Spanish. Isla de san carlos), so named by Gonzalez Don Felipe in honor of the king;
• Teapi(rap. Teapi) - this is how James Cook called the island;
• Waihu(rap. Vaihu), or Waihou(rap. Vaihou), there is a variant Waigu- this name was also used by James Cook, and later by Forster and La Pérouse (a bay in the northeast of the island was named after him);
• Easter Island(Dutch Paasch-Eyland; Spanish. Isla de pascua), named so by the Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeven, because he discovered it on Easter 1722.

Very often Easter Island is called Rapanui (translated as “Big Rapa”). The island received this name thanks to the Tahitian navigators who used it to distinguish between Easter Island and Rapa Iti Island (translated as “Small Rapa”), which lies 650 km south of Tahiti, and has a topological similarity to it. The very name "Rapanui" has caused a lot of controversy among linguists about the correct spelling of the word. Among English-speaking specialists, the word “ Rapa nui"(Separately) is used to name the island, and the word" Rapanui"(Together) - when it comes to people or local culture.

Geography

Easter Island is a unique area in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. It is located 3514 km from the coast of the nearest mainland in the east () and is 2075 km away from the nearest inhabited islands in the west (island). Island coordinates: 27 ° 07 ′ S NS. 109 ° 21 ′ W etc.... The area of ​​the island is 163.6 km². The nearest land is the uninhabited Sala-i-Gomez archipelago, apart from a few rocks near the island.

The island has the shape of a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse of which is the southeastern coast. The sides of this "triangle" are 16, 18 and 24 km long. Extinct volcanoes rise at the corners of the island: Rano Kau (rap. Rano Kau) (324 m) near the Mataveri settlement; Pua-Katiki (rap. Puakatike) (377 m) and Terevaka (rap. Terevaka, 539 m - the highest point of the island).

The highest crater of the Terevaka volcano is called Rano Aroi (rap. Rano Aroi, about 200 m). Actually "Rano-Aroi" is the name of the lake that fills the extinct crater.

Another Terevaka crater - Rano Raraku (rap. Rano Raraku) (160 m) is also a lake with a large supply of fresh water, surrounded by thickets of reeds. The diameter of this crater is about 650 m.

The diameter of the Rano Kau crater is about 1500 m. The volcano has a symmetrical shape and is surrounded by hilly terrain. The southern slope drops into the ocean.

On the inner slopes of volcanoes, vegetation is more abundant. This is due to the more fertile soil, the absence of strong winds and the "greenhouse effect".

Easter Island is of volcanic origin. The soil was formed as a result of erosion of the slopes of volcanoes. The most fertile soil is located in the north of the island, where the locals grow sweet potatoes and yams. The most common rocks on the island are basalt, obsidian, rhyolite, trachyte. The sheer cliffs in La Perouse Bay (locally called Hanga-Hoonu) are composed of red lava.

The island is surrounded by small islands: at the southeastern tip - Motu Nui (rap. Motu Nui, the largest island on which military leaders of Rapanui residents were elected in the distant past), Motu-Ichi (rap. Motu Iti), Motu-Kao-Kao (rap. Motu Kao Kao, this island has a magnetic anomaly), at the western end - Motu-Tautira (rap. Motu Tautira), and at the eastern end - Motu-Marotiri (rap. Motu Marotiri).

Panorama of Easter Island from the border of the Rano Kau crater

Climate of the island

Easter Island Climatogram

The climate of Easter Island is warm and tropical. The average annual temperature is 21.8 ° C, the coldest month is August (19.2 ° C), the warmest is January (24.6 ° C). The island lies near the southern border of the zone of southeasterly winds blowing in summer. In winter, northwestern winds prevail, but there are also southwestern and southeasterly winds. Despite its proximity to the tropics, the island's climate is relatively mild. Heat is rare. This is due to the proximity of the cold Humboldt Current and the absence of any land between the island and. Winds from Antarctica in July-August often reduce daytime air temperatures to 20 ° Celsius.

The main source of fresh water on the island is the lakes formed in the craters of local volcanoes. Rapanui has no rivers, and rainwater seeps easily through the soil, forming groundwater flowing towards the ocean. Since there is not so much water on the island, local people in the past built wells and small reservoirs everywhere.

Table of average monthly temperatures, precipitation and humidity

Flora

Easter Island in spring

The flora of the island is very poor: experts count no more than 30 plant species growing on Rapanui. Most of them were imported from other islands, America,. Many endemic plants that were previously widespread in Rapanui have been exterminated. Between the 9th and 17th centuries, active felling of trees took place (according to another version, the trees died due to a long-term drought, or these factors acted simultaneously), which led to the disappearance of forests on the island (probably, before that, forests of an endemic palm tree grew on it Paschalococos disperta). Another reason could be rats eating tree seeds. Due to irrational human economic activities and other factors, the resulting accelerated soil erosion caused enormous damage to agriculture, as a result of which the population of Rapanui was significantly reduced.

One of the extinct plants - Sophora toromiro whose local name is toromiro(rap.toromiro). This small tree (no more than 2 m high) of the Legume family on the island in the past played an important role in the Rapanui culture: “talking signs” with local pictograms were made from it.

The toromiro trunk, about a human thigh in diameter and thinner, was often used in the construction of houses; darts were also made from it. In the XIX-XX centuries, this tree was exterminated (one of the reasons was that the young growth was destroyed by the sheep brought to the island). The plant managed to be preserved, growing from the collected seeds, only in several botanical gardens in Europe and Chile, attempts to re-climatize on the island have not yet been crowned with success.

Another plant on the island is a type of mulberry tree, the local name for which is - wow(rap. mahute). In the past, this plant also played a significant role in the life of the islanders: white clothes called tapa were made from the bast of a mulberry tree. After the appearance of the first Europeans on the island - whalers and missionaries - the importance of mahuta in the everyday life of the Rapanui people decreased.

Plant roots ti(rap.ti), or Dracaena terminalis used to make sugar. This plant was also used to make a dark blue and green powder, which was then applied to the body as tattoos.

Makoi(rap.makoi) ( Thespesia populnea) was used for carving.

One of the surviving plants of the island, which grows on the slopes of the Rano Kao and Rano Raraku craters, is sedge. Scirpus californicus used in the construction of houses.

In recent decades, a small growth of eucalyptus has begun to appear on the island. In the 18th-19th centuries, grapes, banana, melon, and sugar cane were brought to the island.

Fauna

Before the arrival of Europeans on the island, the fauna of Easter Island was mainly represented by marine animals: seals, turtles, crabs. Chickens were raised on the island. The species of local fauna that inhabited Rapanui earlier became extinct - for example, the rat subspecies Rattus exulans, which the locals used for food in the past. Instead, rats of the species Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus, which became carriers of various diseases previously unknown to Rapanui.

Now the island is home to 25 species of seabirds and 6 species of terrestrial birds.

Population

Main article: Easter Island population

It is estimated that during the cultural heyday on Easter Island in the 16th and 17th centuries, Rapanui's population was between 10,000 and 15,000. Due to the ecological catastrophe that erupted as a result of the anthropogenic factor, as well as clashes between the inhabitants, the population by the time of the arrival of the first Europeans had decreased to 2-3 thousand people, that is how much the island could feed. By 1877, as a result of the export of local residents for hard labor, epidemics and extensive sheep breeding, the population decreased even more and amounted to 111 people. By 1888, when the island was annexed, Rapanui was home to 178 people. According to the last census of 2012, 5,806 people already lived on the island. The population density on the island has reached 36 people / km² (in comparison, в - 230, в - 8.4). The official languages ​​on the island are Spanish and Rapanui. Most of the modern inhabitants of the island (52%) are Hispanic immigrants from mainland Chile, as well as their 2nd and 3rd generation descendants; 48% of the inhabitants are of full or partial Rapanui descent. The share of pure autochthons tends to decrease due to their gradual crossbreeding and hispanization.

Administration

Main article: Isla de Pasqua Province

Easter Island, along with the surrounding islets and the uninhabited island of Sala i Gomez, forms the province of Isla de Pasqua and the commune of the same name in the Chilean region of Valparaiso. The province is headed by a governor accredited to the Chilean government and appointed by the president. Since 1984, only a local resident can become the governor of the island (the first was Sergio Rapu Haoa, a former archaeologist and museum curator). Since 1966, a local council of 6 members, headed by the mayor, has been elected every four years in the Anga Roa settlement.

There are about two dozen police officers on the island, mainly responsible for security at the local airport.

Chilean armed forces (mainly the Navy) are also present. The current currency on the island is the Chilean peso (there are also US dollars in circulation on the island). Easter Island is a duty-free zone, so the island's tax revenues are relatively small. To a large extent, it consists of government subsidies.

Infrastructure

LAN Airlines plane at the island's airport

In 1966, the only airport on Mataveri Island became the base of the US Air Force, and in 1986 it was reconstructed by NASA for possible emergency landings of US Shuttles, so it is one of the most remote airports in the world, capable of receiving large aircraft. Due to the sharp influx of tourists, active construction is underway on the island, and tourism itself has become the main source of income for local residents (however, the total number of tourists is not so great).

The island has a centralized water supply system, although until recently local residents used fresh water from the lakes of extinct volcanoes. Electricity on the island is generated by diesel generators found in every home. Paved roads are located near the administrative center of the island - the settlement of Anga Roa, as well as Mataveri, where the airport is located. At the same time, the road from Anga Roa to Anakena Bay in the north and Poike Peninsula in the south is tarred. At the Anga Roa school, after graduation, you can get a high school diploma, which gives the right to enter a higher educational institution, but there are no higher educational institutions on the island, so local residents have to go to mainland Chile to continue their studies. The UNESCO-sponsored Easter Island Primary School offers bilingual classes in Rapanui and Spanish. Rapanui also hosts the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum, as well as a large library with a collection of books on the history, culture and study of Easter Island.

Healthcare is much better on the island than elsewhere in Chile. There is one small hospital and an outpatient clinic.

Other infrastructure facilities (church, post office, bank, pharmacy, small shops, one supermarket, cafes and restaurants) appeared mainly in the 1960s. The island has a satellite phone, internet and even a small disco for locals. To call Easter Island, you need to dial the Chile code - +56, Easter Island code - +32 and from August 5, 2006 the number 2. After that, a local number consisting of 6 digits is dialed (the first three will be 100 or 551 - this is the only valid prefixes on the island).

Tourism

Anakena is the most famous beach on the island

Ahu Tongariki

Tourism is the main source of income for the population. The only regular flight to Easter Island is provided by the Chilean airline " LAN Airlines», Whose planes depart from Tahiti, making a stopover on Easter Island. Domestic flights are operated according to the "Santiago - Easter Island - Santiago" scheme. Depending on which ticket is ordered, international or domestic, the departure takes place from two different terminals of the airport of Santiago. The flight schedule depends on the season. In December-March, flights are carried out several times a week. The rest of the year - from one to two times a week. The flight takes about 5 hours. Starting from November 2010, you can also get to Easter Island by direct flight from the capital. All planes land at the only airport on Easter Island - Mataveri. Rapanui has only one marina for small ships. There are no regular shipping links to other parts of the world.

There are several hotels on the island, including four- and three-star hotels. Rapanui prices are very high; this is due to the fact that most of the products are imported. The island's attractions can be reached by taxis, rented cars, bicycles, horses or on foot.

Since 1975 on the island every year in late January - early February, the Tapati Festival (rap. Tapati Rapa Nui) has been held, accompanied by dances, chants and various traditional Rapanui competitions.

sights

Profile of the statue against the background of the crater of the Rano Roratka volcano

• Moai are stone statues on the coast of Easter Island in the form of a human head with a torso truncated at about waist level. Their height reaches 20 meters. Contrary to popular belief, they do not look towards the ocean, but inland. Some moai have redstone caps. Moai were made in quarries in the center of the island.

How they were delivered to the coast is unknown. According to legend, they "walked" on their own. Recently, volunteer enthusiasts have found several ways to transport stone blocks, but how exactly the ancient inhabitants (or some of their own) used it has not yet been determined. The Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl in his book "Aku-Aku" describes one of these methods, which was tested in action by local residents. According to the book, information about this method was obtained from one of the few remaining direct descendants of the Moai builders. So, one of the Moai, overturned from the pedestal, was erected back by using the logs slipped under the statue, as levers, by swinging which it was possible to achieve small movements of the statue along the vertical axis. The movements were recorded by placing stones of various sizes under the upper part of the statue and alternating them. The actual transportation of the statues could be carried out by means of wooden sleds. The local resident presents this method as the most likely, but he himself believes that the statues nevertheless reached their places on their own.

Many unfinished idols are in the quarries. A detailed study of the island gives the impression of a sudden cessation of work on the statues.

• Rano Raraku- one of the most interesting places for tourists. At the foot of this volcano there are about 300 moai, of various heights and at different stages of readiness. Not far from the bay is ahu Tongariki - the largest ritual site with 15 statues of various sizes installed on it.
• On the shore of the bay Anakena there is one of the most beautiful beaches of the island with crystal white coral sand. Swimming is allowed in the bay. In the palm groves, picnics are arranged for tourists. Also near the bay of Anakena are located ahu Ature-Hooks and ahu Naunau... According to the ancient Apanui legend, it was in this bay that Hotu-Matu'a, the first king of Rapanui, landed with the first settlers of the island.
• Te Pito te Henua(rap. "The Navel of the Earth") - a ceremonial platform on an island made of round stones. The origin of this place is controversial enough. Anthropologist Christian Walter claims that Te Pito te Henua was established in the 1960s to attract gullible tourists to the island.
• On a volcano Early Kao there is an observation deck. Nearby is the Orongo ceremonial ground.
• Puna Pau- a small volcano near Rano Kao. In the distant past, a red stone was mined here, from which "headdresses" for local moai were made.

History

Main article: Easter Island history

Settlement and early history of the island

By comparing glottochronological and radiocarbon estimates, the island was inhabited in the years 300-400 (according to other sources - about 900). NS. immigrants from the East - presumably from the island of Mangareva. An extreme estimate of the time of the settlement of the island is 1200 - the time of the disappearance of the forests, determined by the radiocarbon method. According to legends, the first settlers arrived on the island in two huge pirogues in large families.

There is a hypothesis about the presence in the 1480s on the Pacific Islands (possibly Easter Island) of the fleet under the command of the tenth Sapa Inca Tupac Inca Yupanqui. According to the Spaniard Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, during the reign of Tupac Inca Yupanqui, the Incas had a fleet of balsa rafts, on which they (perhaps even Tupac Inca Yupanqui personally) reached some islands in the Pacific Ocean. There are also indirect confirmations of the presence of the Incas on the island: legends of local residents about a powerful leader who arrived from the east named Tupa; the ruins of Ahu Vinapu, built in the classical style of Inca architecture from carefully fitted irregularly shaped basalt blocks; and the fact that Totora, which grows in the volcanic lakes of Rano Raraku and Rano Kau, did not appear there earlier than the 14th century, and outside Easter Island it grows only in Lake Titicaca. This hypothesis has its confirmation in the DNA found in the blood of modern Rapanui inhabitants of South America.

Before the appearance of Europeans, two different peoples lived on the island - the "long-eared", who dominated and possessed a peculiar culture and writing, built moai, and the "short-eared", who occupied a subordinate position. According to recent linguistic studies, the correct translation of the name of the tribes is "Hanau Momoko" - "caste of thin" and "Hanau eepe" - "caste of burly". In the future, it turned out to be extremely difficult to restore information about the previous culture of Easter Island, only fragmentary information remained.

Geneticists found mitochondrial haplogroup B in five fossil specimens from Rapanui (three subclades B4a1a1m1 and two subclades B4a1a1). The oldest examples date from the period from 1445 to 1624.

Activities of the ancient Rapanui

Main article: Rapanui

Today Easter is a treeless island with barren volcanic soil. However, by the time the Polynesians settled in the 9th-10th centuries, according to palynological studies of cores from the soil, the island was covered with a dense forest cover.

In the past, as now, the slopes of the volcanoes were used for the cultivation of sweet potatoes and yams.

According to the legends of Rapanui, the hau plants ( Triumfeta semitriloba), marikuru ( Sapindus saponaria), makoi ( Thespesia populnea) and sandalwood were introduced by King Hotu-Matu'a, who sailed to the island from the mysterious homeland of Mara'e Renga (rap. Mara "e Renga). This could indeed have happened, since the Polynesians, settling new lands, brought plant seeds with them The ancient Rapanui people were very well versed in agriculture, plants, the peculiarities of their cultivation, so the island could well feed several thousand people.

The settlers cut down the forest both for economic needs (shipbuilding, construction of dwellings, transportation of moai, etc.), and to free up space for sowing agricultural crops. As a result of intensive logging, which lasted for centuries, the forest was completely destroyed by about 1600. The result was wind erosion of the soil, which destroyed the fertile layer, a sharp decrease in fish catch due to the lack of forest for building boats, a drop in food production, mass famine, cannibalism, etc. reduction of the population several times over several decades.

One of the island's problems has always been a shortage of fresh water. There are no deep rivers on Rapanui, and water after rains easily seeps through the soil and flows towards the ocean. The Rapanui people built small wells, mixed fresh water with salt water, and sometimes just drank salt water.

In the past, the Polynesians, going in search of new islands, always took three animals with them: a pig, a dog and a chicken. Only chicken was brought to Easter Island - later a symbol of well-being among the ancient Rapanui people.

The rat is not a pet, however, it was also introduced by the first settlers of Easter Island, who considered it a delicacy. After the black rats introduced by Hotu-Matu'a and his followers, gray rats, introduced by Europeans, appeared on the island.

Motu Nui Island, view from Orongo

The waters surrounding Easter Island are abundant in fish, especially along the cliffs of Motu Nui Island, where seabirds nest in abundance. Fish was a favorite food of the ancient Rapanui, and in the winter months it was even set to catch it. On Easter Island, a huge number of fishing hooks have been used in the past. Some of them were made from human bones, they were called mangai-ivy(rap.mangai ivi), others - of stone, they were called mangai-kahi(rap. mangai kahi) and was mainly used for catching tuna. Polished stone hooks were only for privileged residents, whose name was tangata-manu(rap tangata manu). After the death of the owner, they were placed in his grave. The very existence of fish hooks speaks of the development of the ancient Apanui civilization, since the technique of polishing the stone is rather complicated, as is the achievement of such smooth forms. Fishhooks were often made from enemy bones. According to the Rapanui beliefs, this is how the mana (rap.mana) of the deceased person was transferred to the fisherman, that is, his strength.

An ancient fish hook made from a human thigh bone, or mangai ivi (rap. Mangai ivi) from Easter Island. Consists of two parts connected with a rope

Rapanui hunted turtles, which are often mentioned in local legends. They were so highly valued by the Rapanui people that even on the coast, tupas (rap.tupa) were erected, which served as watchtowers.

The ancient Rapanui did not have much pie (the Rapanui name is waka, brine. vaka), like other Polynesians who plowed the waters of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the apparent shortage of tall and large trees affected the technique of their production. The Rapanui had two types of pies: no balancer, which were used when sailing near the coast, and balancer pies, which were used for long-distance sailing. By the time the island was discovered by Europeans, due to the lack of large trees, the Rapanui no longer had swimming facilities capable of covering considerable distances; they could only catch fish and sea animals near the coast.

Social relations of the ancient Rapanui

Ahu Te Pito Kura - the navel of the Earth in the folklore of the inhabitants of Easter Island

Main article: Rapanui

Very little is known about the structure of ancient Apanui society that existed before the 19th century. In connection with the export of the local population to, where it was used as slaves, epidemics due to diseases brought to the island by Europeans, and the adoption of Christianity, Rapanui society forgot about the previously existing hierarchical relations, family and tribal ties.

At the beginning of the 19th century, there were ten tribes on Rapanui, or mata(rap. mata), whose members considered themselves the descendants of eponymous ancestors, who, in turn, were descendants of the first king of the island, Hotu-Matu'a. According to the Rapanui legend, after the death of Hotu-Matu'a, the island was divided between his sons, who gave names to all Rapanui tribes. Gradually, new tribes emerged from the existing ones. So, the Rapanui legend tells about the appearance of tribes raa and hamea who lived in the tribe the world.

The complexity of the political geography of the island also lies in the fact that at the time of the discovery of Rapanui, the tribes did not live exclusively on their territory. This was explained, first of all, by inter-tribal marriages, as a result of which children could claim the lands of their father from another tribe or inherit the possessions of their mother.

The tribal territory was often divided between the descendants of the members mata-iti(rap. mata iti), or small clans formed within the tribe. The lands they owned were strips of land that stretched from the coast to the center of the island. Ahu on the shore, which was a cemetery and a sanctuary, indicated that the territory belonged to a tribe.

In ancient times, tribesmen lived in huge huts. It was a semblance of a clan community, which was called ivie(rap. ivi). The role of such an extended family is unknown. But if we talk about the Polynesian community as a whole, then we can assume that in it all members jointly owned land (that is, it was communal, common land) and worked together in agriculture.

In addition to the tribes and clan communities, which formed the basis of the social organization of Rapanui society, there were larger associations, political in nature. Ten tribes, or mata(rap. mata), were divided into two warring alliances. The tribes of the west and northwest of the island were usually called people Tu'u is the name of a volcanic peak near Anga Roa. They were also called mata nui... The tribes of the eastern part of the island in historical legends are called "people of Hotu-ichi".

The system of hierarchy that existed in the past on the island has now disappeared. At the head of the hierarchical ladder was ariki mau(rap. ariki mau), or the supreme leader, revered by the local tribes as a deity. Below were the priests, or ivy-atua(rap.ivi atua), and local nobility, or ariki-paka(rap. ariki paka). Moreover, the entire tribe of the world belonged to the nobility, this is an exceptional case among the Polynesian peoples. It should be noted that in other tribes, Ariki-Paka were completely absent.

On the next rung of the hierarchical ladder were the warriors, or matato'a(rap. matato "a), often aspiring to political power. The lowest position was occupied by kio(rap. kio), or dependent population (most likely, it was formed from members of the defeated tribe). The exact position of the artisans on this ladder is unknown, but it is likely that they held a fairly high place in Rapanui society.

As in other islands of Polynesia, the Rapanui king lost his title after the birth of his eldest son. In fact, the king was in power as regent until his son was able to carry out his functions on his own. The age of majority came after marriage, after which the former king lost his functions. The exact duties of the Rapanui king are unknown. One of its main functions was overlay and release.

The ancient Rapanui were extremely warlike. As soon as the enmity between the tribes began, their warriors painted their bodies black and prepared their weapons for battle at night. After the victory, a feast was held, at which the victorious soldiers ate the meat of the conquered. The cannibals themselves on the island were called kai-tangata(rap.kai tangata). Cannibalism existed on the island until the Christianization of all its inhabitants.

Europeans on the island

In 1687, the physician Lionel Wafer was on board the ship " Batchelor's Delight"Commanded by the pirate Edward Davis. He sighted a vast strip of land at approximately 20 ° 27 ′ S latitude. Judging by the descriptions left, it is very reminiscent of Easter Island. However, the coordinates are very imprecise. Therefore, it is wrong to attribute the discovery of the island to Wafer or Davis.

On April 5, 1722, the crew of the main ship " Afrikaanse galley The Dutch traveler Jacob Roggeven noticed land on the horizon - it was Rapanui. On the same day, the admiral named the island in honor of the Christian holiday of Easter. At the time of the discovery of the island by Roggeven, about two to three thousand local residents lived on it.

For 50 years, the Europeans forgot about the existence of the island. The sailors continued to search for the mysterious Davis Land, the southern continent, which they could not find. Meanwhile, fearing for her American colonies, she decided to annex the territories lying near them. In 1770, Manuel de Amat y Hunyent ( Manuel de Amat y Junyent), the colonial administrator, sent the ship “ San lorenzo"Under the command of Felipe Gonzalez de Aedo ( Felipe Gonzáles de Haedo) to the shores of Easter Island to annex it.

After the annexation of Rapanui, the island was named after the Spanish king Charles III and was named San Carlos (after Saint Charles, the king's patron saint). In the presence of the islanders, a declaration of protectorate was read. In fact, the attempt to annex the island failed, and later forgot about its existence and never again claimed its rights to it.

English navigator James Cook landed on the island on March 12, 1774; he found the island devastated and noticed that the statues of Easter Island are identical to those found in the province of Manta (), and also compared them with monuments in. French navigator Jean François La Perouse visited the island at the end of 1787. The Russian captain Yuri Lisyansky visited the island on April 16-21, 1804 on the Neva sloop.

"Rurik" anchored off Easter Island

In 1816, a Russian ship sailed to the island "Rurik" under the command of Otto Evstafievich Kotzebue, who led the round-the-world sea voyage. On board the ship was the German romantic poet Adelbert Chamisso. However, the Russians failed to land on Rapanui due to the hostility of the Rapanui.

1862 was a turning point in the history of Rapanui. At this time, the economy was booming and increasingly needed labor. One of its sources was Easter Island, whose inhabitants became the object of the slave trade in the second half of the 19th century.

On December 12, 1862, 8 Peruvian slave ships moored in Anga Roa Bay. From 1000 to 2000 Rapanui were captured, among the prisoners was King Rapa Nui Kamakoi ( Kamakoi) and his son Maurata ( Maurata). In and on the Chincha Islands, the Peruvians sold their captives to the owners of mining companies. Due to humiliating conditions, hunger and disease, out of more than 1000 islanders, about a hundred people survived. Only thanks to the intervention of the government, as well as the governor of Tahiti, was it possible to stop the Rapanui slave trade. After negotiations with the Peruvian government, an agreement was reached, according to which the surviving Rapanui were to be returned to their homeland. But due to diseases, mainly tuberculosis and smallpox, only 15 islanders returned home. The smallpox virus brought along with them, in the end, led to a sharp drop in the population on Easter Island, civil wars began, the old principles of social relations were forgotten, and famine began. As a result, the population dropped to about 600 people.

Missionaries on the island and the history of Rapanui before the early 20th century

Christianity and, above all, the missionary of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Eugene Eyraud, played a significant role in the life of the Rapanui people. Immediately after landing on the island in 1862, the missionary began teaching the Rapanui, and within a few months six islanders were reading the catechism in French. However, it was impossible to remain on the sidelines where there is a conflict between the ruling clans. On November 11, 1864, Ayrault was picked up by a schooner sent after him to the island.

After 17 months, Eiro returned to Rapanui with the missionary Hippolyte Roussel and seven Mangarevanians. The missionaries made their main center Santa Maria de Rapa Nui, which united two towns - Anga Roa and Mataveri. The lands around them were purchased from local residents in 1868.

An active conversion of the Rapanui to Christianity began, although the leaders of the local tribes resisted for a long time. On August 14, 1868, Eugene Eyraud died of tuberculosis. The missionary mission lasted for about 5 years and had a positive impact on the inhabitants of the island: the missionaries taught writing (although they already had their own hieroglyphic writing), literacy, fought against theft, murder, polygamy, contributed to the development of agriculture, breeding cultures previously unknown on the island.

In 1868, with the permission of the missionaries, the agent of the trading house Brandera Dutrou-Bornier settled on the island, who was engaged in raising sheep on Rapanui. The flourishing of his economic activity dates back to the period after the death of the last legitimate ruler, the son of the supreme leader Maurat, twelve-year-old Grigorio, who died in 1866.

Meanwhile, Rapanui's population declined significantly and in 1877 was 111.

At the end of the 19th century, many ships docked near Easter Island, the crews of which were mainly interested in the objects of art of the Rapanui culture. In 1871, the Russian corvette "Vityaz" sailed by the island, with the Russian traveler NN Miklukho-Maclay on board. However, due to illness, he was unable to disembark.

The first Chilean ships were seen off Rapanui as early as the 1830s, but close trade ties were not established until the 1870s. Having won the Pacific War of 1879-1883, Chile began active colonization of the lands. September 9, 1888 Captain Polycarpo Toro Hurtado ( Policarpo Toro Hurtado) landed on the island and announced the annexation of Rapanui to Chile. The local church came under the jurisdiction of the city's archbishop. In 1898, the leader Riroroco went to Chile with a complaint about the abuse of the Chilean authorities, but died a few days later. Since then, there have been no supreme leaders on Easter Island.

XX century

From the first quarter of the 20th century, numerous research expeditions to Easter Island began. From March 1914 to August 1915, an expedition of the British explorer K. S. Routledge worked on the island, which paid special attention to the study of stone burial sites ahu and stone statues moai... In 1934-1935. the island was visited by a Franco-Belgian expedition, which included such prominent scientists as A. Metro ( Alfred Métraux) and H. Lavasherry ( Henri lavacherry).

In the 1950s, the Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl rediscovered Easter Island to the world, including experimentally replicating by local residents and without the use of modern technology, cutting the statue out of the mountain, transporting it around the island and placing it on a pedestal. In the book "Aku-Aku" Heyerdahl put forward the theory that Easter Island was inhabited by settlers of the Ancient. In order to test this theory in 2015, Norwegian Torgeir Higraff organized the expedition "Kon-Tiki 2". On two wooden sailing rafts, a construction similar to the ancient rafts of the Incas, the participants of this international expedition, among whom were four Russians, on the seventh of November started from Peru to Easter Island. On December 19, both rafts, having successfully covered about two thousand nautical miles, reached Easter Island, practically confirming Heyerdahl's theory.

Since 1914, the Chilean government began to appoint governors on the island. At first, these were mainly officers, both active and retired. Since 1953, Easter Island has been under the command of the Chilean Navy. At that time, the inhabitants of the island were forbidden to leave the Anga Roa or only with written permission, which significantly infringed the rights of the Rapanui people. It wasn't until 1956 that living conditions on the island became more favorable, and local schoolchildren were allowed to study on the Chilean mainland. Since 1966, free elections have been held on the island.

The military dictator Augusto Pinochet visited Easter Island three times.

The cult of "bird-men" (XVI / XVII-XIX centuries)

See also: Rapanui mythology

Petroglyph depicting the deity Make-make near the disappeared settlement of Orongo

Around 1680 matato'a, the warriors of Easter Island, established a new cult of the god Make-make, who, according to Rapanui mythology, created man, and was also the god of fertility. This is how the cult of bird-men appeared, or tangata-manu(rap tangata manu). One of the reasons for its occurrence was the decline of the Rapanui civilization, associated in many respects with the deforestation of the island.

There was a ceremonial village not far from the Rano Kau volcano Orongo, built to worship the god Make-Mak. This settlement became a place of worship. Every year, competitions were held between representatives of all Rapanui clans, in which participants had to swim to the islet of Motu Nui and find the first egg laid by the black tern, or manutara (rap. Manutara). Moreover, the participants were in great danger, since these waters were swarming with sharks. The victorious swimmer became the "Birdman of the Year" and was given the right to control the distribution of resources intended for his clan for a period of one year. This tradition continued until 1867.

One of the attractions of the village of Orongo are numerous petroglyphs with images of "bird-men" and the god Make-make (there are about 480 of them).

Rongo rongo

Fragment of a tablet with the text rongo-rongo

Easter Island is the only island in the Pacific Ocean that has developed its own writing system - rongo-rongo. The texts were recorded using pictograms, the writing method was bustrofedon. The pictograms are one centimeter in size and are represented by various graphic symbols, images of people, body parts, animals, astronomical symbols, houses, boats, and so on.

The writing of rongo-rongo has not yet been deciphered, despite the fact that many linguists have dealt with this problem. In 1995, linguist Stephen Fisher announced the deciphering of the rongo-rongo texts, but his interpretation is disputed by other scholars.

The French missionary Eugene Eyraud was the first to report the existence of tablets with ancient inscriptions on Easter Island in 1864. By that time, the Rapanui could no longer (or almost did not know how) to read them.

Currently, there are many scientific hypotheses regarding the origin and meaning of Rapanui writing. M. Hornbostel, V. Hevesi, R. Heine-Geldern believed that the letter from Easter Island came from through China, and then from Easter Island the letter came to Panama. R. Campbell argued that this writing came from the Far East through. Imbelloni and, later, T. Heyerdahl tried to prove the South American Indian origin of both Rapanui writing and the entire culture.

Many experts on Easter Island, including Fisher himself, believe that all 25 tablets with rongo-rongo inscriptions were born after the natives got acquainted with European writing during the landing on the island of the Spaniards in 1770, and are only an imitation of the writing. since the signs used are monotonous.

Easter Island and the Lost Continent

Easter Island on the world map

See also: Pacifida

In 1687, the pirate Edward Davis, whose ship was carried away far to the west from the administrative center of the Atacama region (), by sea winds and the Pacific current, noticed land on the horizon, where the silhouettes of high mountains loomed. However, without even trying to find out whether it was a mirage or an island not yet discovered by the Europeans, Davis turned the ship and headed towards the Peruvian current.

This "Davis Land", which much later began to be identified with Easter Island, reinforced the conviction of the cosmographers of that time that there was a continent in this region, which was, as it were, a counterweight to and. This led to the fact that brave sailors began to search for the lost continent. However, it was never found: instead, hundreds of Pacific islands were discovered.

With the discovery of Easter Island, the opinion began to spread that this is the continent escaping from man, on which a highly developed civilization existed for millennia, which later disappeared into the depths of the ocean, and only high mountain peaks survived from the continent (in fact, these are extinct volcanoes ). The existence on the island of huge statues, moai, unusual Rapanui tablets only supported this opinion, but modern study of the adjacent waters showed that this is unlikely.

Easter Island is located 500 km from a range of seamounts known as the East Pacific Rise, on the Nazca lithospheric plate. The island sits on top of a huge mountain formed from volcanic lava. The last volcanic eruption on the island occurred 3 million years ago. Although some scientists suggest that it happened 4.5-5 million years ago.

According to local legends, in the distant past, the island was large. It is quite possible that this was the case during the Pleistocene Ice Age, when the level of the World Ocean was 100 meters lower. According to geological studies, Easter Island has never been part of a sunken continent.

Filmography

• Beneath Easter Island, National Geographic, 2009
• “Mysteries of History. Easter Island Giants "(eng. Mysteries of History. Giants of easter island), Prometheus Entertainment, 2010
• Rapa Nui (Paradise Lost) - feature film, 1994.

see also

Notes (edit)

1. Rapanui // Big encyclopedia: In 22 volumes (20 volumes and 2 additional) / ed. S. N. Yuzhakova. - SPb. : Publishing Association "Education", 1900-1909.(Rapanui, o-v, see o-v Easter)
2. Rapanui National Park (Easter Island) (Russian)... UNESCO. Date of treatment August 28, 2014.
3. Isla de Pascua duplica su población en veinte años por fuerte migración desde el continente | Plataforma Urbana
4. UNESCO World Heritage Center. Rapa Nui National Park. (unspecified) ... Retrieved April 13, 2007. Archived August 18, 2011.
5. Easter Island Foundation. Frequently Asked Questions. What "s the difference between" Rapa Nui "and" Rapanui "? (unspecified) (unavailable link)... Retrieved April 13, 2007. Archived September 27, 2007.
6. About Easter Island. Location. (unspecified) (unavailable link)
7. Easter Island Statue Project. About easter island (unspecified) (unavailable link)... Retrieved April 13, 2007. Archived June 7, 2007.
8. Great Soviet Encyclopedia. 3rd edition. Article "Easter Island".
9. This table was compiled using data from the site http://islandheritage.org/vg/vg06.html Archived February 23, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
10. Editorial office of the journal Science and Life. Easter Island Mysteries. The discussion continues (Russian)... www.nkj.ru. Date of treatment September 5, 2019.
11. The inhabitants of Easter Island have ruined it with irrepressible consumption (unspecified)
12. Extinct plants - a selection of the most unusual representatives and interesting information about them with photos(Russian) (unspecified)?. Pably (28 August 2017). Date of treatment September 5, 2019.
13. Easter Island Statue Project. About Easter Island. Fauna. (unspecified) (unavailable link)... Retrieved April 13, 2007. Archived June 7, 2007.
14. Easter Island civilization was ruined by sweet potatoes (unspecified) ... lenta.ru. Date of treatment September 5, 2019.
15. LILACS-Atención oftalmológica en Isla de Pascua: desarrollo, aspectos epidemiológicos y étnicos; Ophthalmologic care in Easter Island: development, epidemiology and ethnic asp ...
16. Center for South Pacific Studies. The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Rapanui (Easter Island) (unspecified) (unavailable link)... Dr. Grant McCall. Retrieved April 13, 2007. Archived September 27, 2007.
17. Mail, phones and the Internet (unspecified) (unavailable link)
18. Easter Island Foundation's Visitor Guide to Easter Island. Getting there by plane (unspecified) (unavailable link)... Retrieved April 9, 2007. Archived September 27, 2007.
19. BuenoLatina. New air route to Easter Island
20. Easter Island Foundation's Visitor Guide to Easter Island. The Annual Tapati Festival (unspecified) (unavailable link)... Retrieved April 12, 2007. Archived September 27, 2007.
21. Thor Heyerdahl. Aku-Aku. Fragments from the book
22. Jared Diamond "Collapse" ISBN 978-5-9713-8389-5, p. 104
23. Dumont, Henri J .; Cocquyt, Christine; Fontugne, Michel; Arnold, Maurice; Reyss, Jean-Louis; Bloemendal, Jan; Oldfield, Frank; Steenbergen, Cees L. M .; Korthals, Henk J. & Zeeb, Barbara A.(1998): The end of moai quarrying and its effect on Lake Rano Raraku, Easter Island. Journal of Paleolimnology 20 (4): 409-422. DOI: 10.1023 / A: 1008012720960
24. Early Americans helped colonize Easter Island
25. Thor Heyerdahl's theory. Romance and facts ...
26. Lars fehren-schmitz et al. Genetic Ancestry of Rapanui before and after European Contact, 2017
27. J. L. Flenley, Sarah King "Late Quaternary pollen records from Easter Island // Nature 307: 47-50
28. Pretend suicide (unspecified) ... lenta.ru. Date of treatment September 5, 2019.
29. Jared Diamond "Collapse" ISBN 978-5-9713-8389-5
30. 7 Major Secrets of Easter Island | Publications | Around the world (unspecified) ... www.vokrugsveta.ru. Date of treatment September 5, 2019.
31. "There was no ecocide": anthropologists rewrote the history of Easter Island (unspecified) ... https: //nauka.vesti.ru.+ Retrieved 5 September 2019.
32. Tour Heyerdahl “Aku-Aku. Easter Island Mystery "ISBN 5-17-018067-5, ISBN 5-271-05030-0
33. A. On people, winds and rafts in the ocean: The history of travel from South America to Easter Island and back - [b.m.]: Publishing solutions, 2017. - 288 p. - ISBN 978-5-4485-7529-7.
34. Steven Fischer Rongorongo: The Easter Island Script. Oxford Univercity Press, 1997.

Literature

• Kondratov A.M. Easter Island Giants. - M.: Soviet artist, 1966 .-- 192 p. - (Pages of Art History). - 73,000 copies
• Krendelev F.P., Kondratov A.M. Silent guards of secrets (mysteries of Easter Island) / Resp. ed. acad. A. P. Okladnikov; USSR Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, Buryat Branch, Geological Institute. - : The science. Siberian branch, 1980 .-- 208 p. - (Popular science series). - 100,000 copies
• Butinov N.A. On the history of the settlement of Easter Island (based on the materials of legends and tablets with letters)// Culture of the peoples of Indonesia and Oceania. Collection XXXIX Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography / Institute of Ethnography named after N.N. Miklouho-Maclay of the USSR Academy of Sciences. - L.: Science. Leningrad. branch, 1984.
• Tour Heyerdahl "Journey to Kon-Tiki"
• A. On people, winds and rafts in the ocean: The history of travel from South America to Easter Island and back - [b.m.]: Publishing solutions, 2017. - 288 p. - ISBN 978-5-4485-7529-7.
• Diamond Jared Collapse: How and why some societies prosper and others die. - M .: Astrel: CORPUS, 2012 .-- 800 p.

In foreign languages

• Dr. Stéphen-Chauvet Easter Island and its mysteries. Translated by Ann M. Altman. First published in 1935. Translation prepared 2004.
• Metraux Alfred "Easter Island: A Stone-Age Civilization of the Pacific"; Oxford University Press, 1957 (available to subscribers at www.questia.com).
• Fischer Steven Roger "Rongorongo: The Easter Island Script History, Traditions, Texts". Clarendon Press: Oxford, England, 1997 (available at www.questia.com).
• Routledge Scoresby “The Mystery of Easter Island. The story of an expedition ". London, 1919
• Thomson, William J. 1891. Te Pito te Henua, or Easter Island. Report of the United States National Museum for the Year Ending June 30, 1889. Annual Reports of the Smithsonian Institution for 1889.447-552. Washington: Smithsonian Institution.
• Dransfield J. 1991 123. Paschalococos disperta J. Dransfield gen. et sp. nov. In G. Zizka Flowering plant of Eastern Island PHF3, wissenschaftliche Berichte, Palmengarten, Frankfurt.

Links

• Easter Island Idols, Chile 360 ​​° Aerial Panorama on the AirPano website
• Easter Island official website (Spanish)
• The website of the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum (Spanish)
• Easter Island News (Spanish)
• Easter Island Foundation
• Rongo-rongo International Writing Server with Easter Island Texts
• Photos of the island on Flickr
• A story about Easter Island on the Details website (Russian)