Scientific evidence seems to indicate that seafaring Polynesians came to
Easter Island (one of the Earth's most remotely inhabited islands located
about 2,000 miles away from the nearest populated area), also known as
Rapa Nui, about A.D. 400 and began the civilization that produced those
majestic enigmatic statues weighing an average of 14 tons each. However,
nobody knows what the statues are supposed to be or who they are suppose
to represent. Perhaps they represent ancestors, powerful kings or priests,
God or gods, or as some Ancient Aliens enthusiasts have come to believe,
ancient aliens that helped this civilization like many others on our planet.
In the early 1950s, the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl (famous for his
Kon-Tiki and Ra raft voyages across the oceans) popularized the idea that
the island had been originally settled by advanced societies of Indians from
the coast of South America (feeding fuel to the Atlantian global civilization).
The most widely-accepted theory is that the statues were carved by the
Polynesian colonizers of the island beginning by about A.D. 1000-1100. In
addition to representing deceased ancestors, the Moai, once they were
erect on ceremonial sites, may also have been regarded as the
embodiment of powerful living chiefs. They were also important lineage
status symbols.
The intervention of Ancient Aliens has been made one of the most
infamous theories about the Moai by Erich Von Daniken who suggests that
a small group of 'intelligent beings' were stranded there and taught the
natives to make 'robot-like' statues. His main thrust is that the stone from
which the statues are made is not found on the island, which is a complete
fabrication and later was discovered that Erich Von Daniken never visited
the island while writing his book (Chariots of the Gods). This links with
theories that Easter island was once
part of the lost civilization of flying
machines.
An article entitled “Engineers of Easter
Island," published in the
November/December 1999 issue of
Archaeology, shows that the statues
could have been transported and put in
place using techniques the Polynesians
perfected when constructing and
moving boats while venturing from
island to island for thousands of years,
perhaps a long ago as 5500 B.C.E.
(The Polynesians are also credited with
building Nan Madol on the island of
Pohnpei in Micronesia, another
megalithic site perhaps as mind-
boggling as Easter Island.)
Author Jared Diamond postulates that around 1400 the island’s civilization experienced a rapid decline because of an
ecological imbalance brought about by deforestation, soil erosion and overpopulation. Jared Diamond also thinks there
was a civil war about 1680, which may have led to the toppling of many of the Moai and perhaps even calamities such as
cannibalism.
In conclusion, although many would suggest that Ancient Aliens or perhaps ancient advance civilizations with flying
machines build these statues and also had a great influence in the evolution of the Easter Island civilization, the facts
seem to speak pretty clearly and lead our researches to believe that human ingenuity, creativity and regular
technological advancements can account for the great Moai, the sudden disappearance of the population and their
forests, as well as the only account of a written language in the Pacific Islands. We must remember that many ancient
cultures had deep roots to their religious beliefs which fueled many to create astounding and majestic monuments to
show their gods their appreciation and protection. Those who find mystery in this world can always settle on the fact that
ancient aliens once helped our planet evolve into our present form; however, the facts for Easter Island seem to be clear
and we can lay to rest that ancient aliens and the Moai do not have a connection.
Reference: http://arcturi.com/AncientAlien
