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400
Earliest evidence of human activity on Easter Island
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400
Easter Island before humans, great place
From at least 30,000 years before humans arrived, and during the early years of Polynesian settlement, the island was a tropical forest of trees and bushes. One could find the rope-yielding hauhau free, the toromiro tree, and mesquite-like firewood. There were also many palms that provided food. There were many different species of birds habiting the island, and large numbers of porpoises around the island. -
Period: Jan 1, 1200 to Jan 1, 1500
Height of Statue Construction
Population estimates during this time range from 7,000-200,000 -
Jan 1, 1400
Palm extinct
Numberes of the hauhau tree were also so low that rope could no longer be made from them. This date also marked the end to the forest itself. -
Jan 1, 1500
Extinction of the Porpoise
Bones began dissapearing from garbage heaps by this date. Colonies of more than half of the seabirds were also wiped out. -
Period: to
Heyday of Centralized Government with Warriors
Large population during this time. Many stone spear points date from this period. By 1700, the population began to crash to about 1/4 or 1/10 of its former number. -
Rival Clans begin to topple eachother's statues
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Dutch Explorer Roggeveen Visits Easter Island
Roggeveen discovers an island that is simply a grassland with no trees of bushes higher than 10 feet. No source of firewood, no native animals larger than insects, and no other domestic animals than chickens can be found. The population was estimated to be 2,000. Statues are still standing -
James Cook visits and identifies the islanders as Polynesians
He describes the islander's canoes as leaky and frail. One about three or four canoes can be found. -
All statues have been pulled down by islanders
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Last of the stautes have been thrown down
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Heyerdahl's raft voyage to prove feasibility of prehistoric transoceanic contacts
Only one, nearly dead toromiro tree remained. -
Beginning of destruction of forestes
Evidence inclues charcoal from wood fires. Numbers of palms and woody shrubs decreased significantly. -
Period: to Jan 1, 1300
Height of porpoise eating, 1/3 of all bones discovered (900-1300)
Many birds and porpoises eathen during this time. Islanders ate albatross, boobies, frigate birds, fulmars, petrels, prions, shearwaters, storm petrels, terns, and tropic birds. Polynesians also ate rats, the bones of which outnumber the bones of fish.
