What is the story behind Easter Island?
The first known European visitor to Easter Island was the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who arrived in 1722. The Dutch named the island Paaseiland (Easter Island) to commemorate the day they arrived. In 1888, Chile annexed Easter Island, leasing much of the land for sheep raising.
What is the native name for Easter Island?
Rapa Nui
To its original inhabitants the island is known as Rapa Nui (“Great Rapa”) or Te Pito te Henua (“Navel of the World”). The first European visitors, the Dutch, named it Paaseiland (“Easter Island”) in memory of their own day of arrival.
Is Easter Island a wonder of the world?
When Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen landed on the island on Easter in 1722 (hence the name Easter Island), the population was around 1,500 to 3,000 people. The statues on Easter Island are a wonder because of how they were created.
Why is Easter Island treeless?
When it rains on the island, also known as Rapa Nui, the water rapidly drains through the porous volcanic soil, leaving the grass dry again. That’s one reason why the island at the end of the world has stayed almost entirely bare, with no trees or shrubs.
What do the Easter Island heads represent?
What do the Moai represent? It’s thought that the Moai were symbols of religious and political power and leadership. Carvings and sculptures in the Polynesian world often have strong spiritual meanings, and followers often believe a carving had magical or spiritual powers of the person or deity depicted.
Does anyone live on Easter Island today?
About 5,000 people live on Easter Island today, and thousands of tourists come to see the anthropomorphic “moai” statues each year. Amid strain from a rising population, the island faces challenges ahead. It has no sewer system and continues to draw on a limited freshwater supply.
What is the tallest Statue on Easter Island?
El Gigante
Besides its remoteness, Easter Island is, of course, famous for its massive stone sculptures or “Moais.” The largest of these is “El Gigante,” located near the Rano Raraku Quarry, which stands some 72 feet tall (well, 71.93 to be exact).
Why isn’t Stonehenge a wonder of the world?
“It’s prehistoric,” says Dave Batchelor. “It’s 5,000 years old and was built before written language, before metal tools and before the invention of the wheel.” But, despite its impressive credentials, it’s still lagging behind the likes of Chichen Itza and Petra… well behind.