Easter Island: The Mystical "Stone Giants"

Easter Island is the world’s most isolated inhabited island, located in Chile,in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean. It is famous for its 887 mysterious megalith stone statues called Moai. The Polynesian settlers to the island began colonization from a limited resource base, and created an advanced society of religious and artistic culture. From their monumental sculpture and stone work skills, they created the stone giant statues, of which many still stand today. Unfortunately, the flourishing society did not last,and the most common theory for the decline of this society was deforestation of the land, leading to war between the factions, famine, and ultimately the collapse of the society.

This book is an introduction into one of the world’s ancient civilizations, addressing the history of the island, the characteristics of the Polynesian settlers, the amazing Moai statues, and the most popular theories of the civilization decline. It examines the scientific discoveries of Easter Island, and the status of the island today, along with the Easter Island Statue Project, involved in excavation expeditions and preservation of the Moai statues.