Saw this documentary on Easter island.
People believed in ancestor worship, hence the huge face of the
dead leaders. But to move these stones from the quarry need a lot
of trees... something easter island lacked.
Easter island used to be covered with trees and a haven for
migratory birds who will rest in the canopies of these trees.
Easter island inhabitants diet consist of birds as food.
however to build these huge statues, the cut down all these
trees... erosion resulting in bad harvest, no birds hence no meat,
and no tree means they are stuck on the island. Mass famine, and
war. The more they make these statues, they do not work. (sound
like earth now...)
They managed to survive into another culture, some bird people
culture away from the rest of the world. But by tat time, their
population was already small from war and famine.
When the westerners arrived, they brought disease unknown to these
people resulting them to die off.
Btw, these statues have white eyes on them. Scientist found
out.
DNA studies found that they are closely related to the
polyneisans.
