Easter Island

Π’ΠΎΠΏΠΈΠΊ ΠžΡΡ‚Ρ€ΠΎΠ² ΠŸΠ°ΡΡ…ΠΈ рассказываСт ΠΈΡΡ‚ΠΎΡ€ΠΈΡŽ ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΈΠ· самых Π·Π°Π³Π°Π΄ΠΎΡ‡Π½Ρ‹Ρ… островов Π’ΠΈΡ…ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΎΠΊΠ΅Π°Π½Π°. ΠžΡΡ‚Ρ€ΠΎΠ² находится Π½Π° Π²Π΅Ρ€ΡˆΠΈΠ½Π΅ ΠΎΠ³Ρ€ΠΎΠΌΠ½ΠΎΠΉ Π³ΠΎΡ€Ρ‹, ΡΡ„ΠΎΡ€ΠΌΠΈΡ€ΠΎΠ²Π°Π²ΡˆΠ΅ΠΉΡΡ ΠΈΠ· вулканичСской Π»Π°Π²Ρ‹. ПослСднСС ΠΈΠ·Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π²ΡƒΠ»ΠΊΠ°Π½ΠΎΠ² Π½Π° островС ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΠΈΠ·ΠΎΡˆΠ»ΠΎ 3 ΠΌΠΈΠ»Π»ΠΈΠΎΠ½Π° Π»Π΅Ρ‚ Π½Π°Π·Π°Π΄. ΠžΡΡ‚Ρ€ΠΎΠ² ΠŸΠ°ΡΡ…ΠΈ ΠΈΠ»ΠΈ Π Π°ΠΏΠ°-Нуи – ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠ½ ΠΈΠ· самых ΡƒΠ΄Π°Π»Π΅Π½Π½Ρ‹Ρ… насСлСнных островов Π² ΠΌΠΈΡ€Π΅ (тСрритория Π§ΠΈΠ»ΠΈ) ΠΈ, Π²ΠΎ ΠΌΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΠΌ благодаря изолированности, история острова носит ΡƒΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠ°Π»ΡŒΠ½Ρ‹ΠΉ Ρ…Π°Ρ€Π°ΠΊΡ‚Π΅Ρ€. БущСствуСт мноТСство Π½Π°ΡƒΡ‡Π½Ρ‹Ρ… Π³ΠΈΠΏΠΎΡ‚Π΅Π· ΠΈ Π΄ΠΎΠ³Π°Π΄ΠΎΠΊ ΠΎΡ‚Π½ΠΎΡΠΈΡ‚Π΅Π»ΡŒΠ½ΠΎ Π²Ρ€Π΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈ засСлСния Π Π°ΠΏΠ°-Нуи, расовой принадлСТности мСстных ΠΆΠΈΡ‚Π΅Π»Π΅ΠΉ, ΠΏΡ€ΠΈΡ‡ΠΈΠ½Ρ‹ Π³ΠΈΠ±Π΅Π»ΠΈ ΡƒΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠ°Π»ΡŒΠ½ΠΎΠΉ Ρ†ΠΈΠ²ΠΈΠ»ΠΈΠ·Π°Ρ†ΠΈΠΈ, прСдставитСли ΠΊΠΎΡ‚ΠΎΡ€ΠΎΠΉ сооруТали ΠΎΠ³Ρ€ΠΎΠΌΠ½Ρ‹Π΅ ΠΊΠ°ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π½Ρ‹Π΅ изваяния “ΠΌΠΎΠ°ΠΈ”, устанавливаСмых Π½Π° “Π°Ρ…Ρƒ” – склСпах ΠΈΠ»ΠΈ святилищах Π½Π° Π±Π΅Ρ€Π΅Π³Ρƒ ΠΎΠΊΠ΅Π°Π½Π°. Ко Π²Ρ€Π΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈ засСлСния ΠΏΠΎΠ»ΠΈΠ½Π΅Π·ΠΈΠΉΡ†Π°ΠΌΠΈ Π² IX-X Π²Π΅ΠΊΠ°Ρ…, остров Π±Ρ‹Π» ΠΏΠΎΠΊΡ€Ρ‹Ρ‚ густым лСсным ΠΏΠΎΠΊΡ€ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠΌ, Π° склоны Π²ΡƒΠ»ΠΊΠ°Π½ΠΎΠ² использовались для развСдСния садов ΠΈ выращивания Π±Π°Π½Π°Π½ΠΎΠ². Π”Ρ€Π΅Π²Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Ρ€Π°ΠΏΠ°Π½ΡƒΠΉΡ†Ρ‹ ΠΎΡ‡Π΅Π½ΡŒ Ρ…ΠΎΡ€ΠΎΡˆΠΎ Ρ€Π°Π·Π±ΠΈΡ€Π°Π»ΠΈΡΡŒ Π² сСльском хозяйствС, растСниях, особСнностях ΠΈΡ… выращивания, поэтому, остров Π²ΠΏΠΎΠ»Π½Π΅ ΠΌΠΎΠ³ ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΠΊΠΎΡ€ΠΌΠΈΡ‚ΡŒ нСсколько тысяч Ρ‡Π΅Π»ΠΎΠ²Π΅ΠΊ. Но, посСлСнцы Π²Ρ‹Ρ€ΡƒΠ±Π°Π»ΠΈ лСс для хозяйствСнных Π½ΡƒΠΆΠ΄ (кораблСстроСниС, ΡΡ‚Ρ€ΠΎΠΈΡ‚Π΅Π»ΡŒΡΡ‚Π²ΠΎ ΠΆΠΈΠ»ΠΈΡ‰, транспортировка ΠΌΠΎΠ°ΠΈ ΠΈ ΠΏΡ€.) ΠΈ для освобоТдСния мСст ΠΏΠΎΠ΄ посСвы ΡΠ΅Π»ΡŒΡΠΊΠΎΡ…ΠΎΠ·ΡΠΉΡΡ‚Π²Π΅Π½Π½Ρ‹Ρ… ΠΊΡƒΠ»ΡŒΡ‚ΡƒΡ€. Π’ Ρ€Π΅Π·ΡƒΠ»ΡŒΡ‚Π°Ρ‚Π΅ интСнсивной Π²Ρ‹Ρ€ΡƒΠ±ΠΊΠΈ, ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠ»ΠΆΠ°Π²ΡˆΠ΅ΠΉΡΡ Π² Ρ‚Π΅Ρ‡Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ столСтий, лСс Π±Ρ‹Π» ΠΈΠ·Π²Π΅Π΄Π΅Π½ ΠΏΠΎΠ»Π½ΠΎΡΡ‚ΡŒΡŽ ΠΏΡ€ΠΈΠΌΠ΅Ρ€Π½ΠΎ ΠΊ 1600 Π³. БлСдствиСм этого стала вСтровая эрозия ΠΏΠΎΡ‡Π², ΡƒΠ½ΠΈΡ‡Ρ‚ΠΎΠΆΠΈΠ²ΡˆΠ°Ρ ΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΡ€ΠΎΠ΄Π½Ρ‹ΠΉ слой, Ρ€Π΅Π·ΠΊΠΎΠ΅ сокращСниС ΡƒΠ»ΠΎΠ²Π° Ρ€Ρ‹Π±Ρ‹ – Π²Π²ΠΈΠ΄Ρƒ отсутствия лСса для ΡΡ‚Ρ€ΠΎΠΈΡ‚Π΅Π»ΡŒΡΡ‚Π²Π° Π»ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΊ, ΠΏΠ°Π΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ производства ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠ»ΡŒΡΡ‚Π²ΠΈΡ, массовый Π³ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ΄, ΠΊΠ°Π½Π½ΠΈΠ±Π°Π»ΠΈΠ·ΠΌ ΠΈ сокращСниС насСлСния Π² нСсколько Ρ€Π°Π· Π·Π° нСсколько дСсятилСтий. Усилилась Π²Ρ€Π°ΠΆΠ΄Π° ΠΌΠ΅ΠΆΠ΄Ρƒ Ρ€Π°Π·Π»ΠΈΡ‡Π½Ρ‹ΠΌΠΈ ΠΏΠ»Π΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π°ΠΌΠΈ острова, ΠΊΠΎΡ‚ΠΎΡ€Ρ‹Π΅ Π±ΠΎΡ€ΠΎΠ»ΠΈΡΡŒ Π·Π° скудныС рСсурсы Π Π°ΠΏΠ°-Нуи (Π² основном это Π²Ρ‹Ρ€Π°ΠΆΠ°Π»ΠΎΡΡŒ Π² ΡƒΠ½ΠΈΡ‡Ρ‚ΠΎΠΆΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠΈ Π°Ρ…Ρƒ ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΡ‚ΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠΏΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΊΠ»Π°Π½Π° ΠΈΠ»ΠΈ сваливании ΠΌΠΎΠ°ΠΈ), появилось рабство. Голландский ΠΏΡƒΡ‚Π΅ΡˆΠ΅ΡΡ‚Π²Π΅Π½Π½ΠΈΠΊ, Π°Π΄ΠΌΠΈΡ€Π°Π» Π―ΠΊΠΎΠ± Π ΠΎΠ³Π³Π΅Π²Π΅Π½ 5 апрСля 1722 Π·Π°ΠΌΠ΅Ρ‚ΠΈΠ» Π½Π° Π³ΠΎΡ€ΠΈΠ·ΠΎΠ½Ρ‚Π΅ ΡΡƒΡˆΡƒ, Π² Ρ‚ΠΎΡ‚ ΠΆΠ΅ дСнь ΠΎΠ½ Π½Π°Π·Π²Π°Π» остров Π² Ρ‡Π΅ΡΡ‚ΡŒ христианского ΠΏΡ€Π°Π·Π΄Π½ΠΈΠΊΠ° ΠŸΠ°ΡΡ…ΠΈ. Π£Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π² Π½Π΅ΠΎΠ±Ρ‹Ρ‡Π½Ρ‹Π΅ статуи ΠΎΠ³Ρ€ΠΎΠΌΠ½Ρ‹Ρ… Ρ€Π°Π·ΠΌΠ΅Ρ€ΠΎΠ², ΠΏΡƒΡ‚Π΅ΡˆΠ΅ΡΡ‚Π²Π΅Π½Π½ΠΈΠΊ Π±Ρ‹Π» сильно ΡƒΠ΄ΠΈΠ²Π»Π΅Π½ Ρ‚Π΅ΠΌ, Ρ‡Ρ‚ΠΎ “ΠΎΠ±Π½Π°ΠΆΠ΅Π½Π½Ρ‹Π΅ Π΄ΠΈΠΊΠ°Ρ€ΠΈ” ΠΌΠΎΠ³Π»ΠΈ ΡΠΎΠΎΡ€ΡƒΠ΄ΠΈΡ‚ΡŒ Ρ‚Π°ΠΊΠΈΠ΅ колоссы. Моаи (статуя, истукан, ΠΈΠ΄ΠΎΠ»)- ΠΊΠ°ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π½Ρ‹Π΅ ΠΌΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ»ΠΈΡ‚Π½Ρ‹Π΅ статуи ΠΈΠ·Π³ΠΎΡ‚Π°Π²Π»ΠΈΠ²Π°Π»ΠΈΡΡŒ Π°Π±ΠΎΡ€ΠΈΠ³Π΅Π½Π½Ρ‹ΠΌ полинСзийским насСлСниСм ΠΌΠ΅ΠΆΠ΄Ρƒ 1250 ΠΈ 1500 Π³Π³. БСйчас извСстно 887 статуй.

One of the world’s most famous yet least visited archaeological sites, Easter Island is a small, hilly, now treeless island of volcanic origin. Located in the Pacific Ocean at 27 degrees south of the equator, some 2200 miles (3600 kilometers) off the coast of Chile, the island is 63 square miles in size and has extinct volcanoes rising to 1500 feet.

In the early 1950s, the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl (famous for his Kon-Tiki raft voyages across the oceans) popularized the idea that the island, called Rapa Nui by the natives, had been originally settled by advanced societies of Indians from the coast of South America. Extensive archaeological, ethnographic, and linguistic research has conclusively shown this hypothesis to be inaccurate. It is now recognized that the original inhabitants of Easter Island are of Polynesian stock (DNA extracts from skeletons have recently confirmed this), that they most probably came from the Marquesas or Society islands, and that they arrived around AD 380 to 400. At the time of their arrival, the island was entirely covered in thick forests and was teeming with land birds. It was the richest seabird breeding site in Polynesia and probably in the whole Pacific. Within a matter of centuries this profusion of wildlife was entirely destroyed by the islanders’ way of life. The reasons are today eminently clear. It is estimated that the original colonists, who were quite probably lost at sea, arrived in just a few canoes and numbered fewer than 100. Because of the plentiful bird, fish, and plant food sources, the population grew rapidly and gave rise to a rich religious and artistic culture. However, the resource needs of the growing population inevitably outpaced the island’s capacity to renew itself ecologically and the ensuing environmental degradation triggered a social and cultural collapse. Pollen records show that the destruction of the forests was well under way by the year 800, just a few centuries after the start of the first settlement. These forest trees were extremely important to the islanders, being used for fuel, for the construction of houses and ocean-fishing canoes, and as rollers for transporting the great stone statues. By the 1400s the forests had been entirely cut, the rich ground cover had eroded away, the springs had dried up, and the vast flocks of birds coming to roost on the island had long since disappeared. With no logs to build canoes for offshore fishing, with depleted bird and wildlife food sources, and with declining crop yields because of the erosion of good soil, the nutritional intake of the people plummeted. First famine, then cannibalism, set in. Because the island could no longer feed the chiefs, bureaucrats, and priests who kept the complex society running, chaos resulted, and by 1700 the population dropped to between one-quarter and one-tenth of its former number. During the mid 1700s rival clans began to topple each other’s stone statues. By 1864 the last of the statues was thrown down and desecrated.

Easter Island was unknown to Europeans until 1722 when it was accidentally sailed upon by the Dutch admiral, Jacob Roggeveen, on Easter Day. The barren lands and social strife that Roggeveen first recorded make it difficult to imagine the extraordinary culture that had flowered on the island during the previous 1400 years. That culture’s most famous features are its enormous stone statues called moai, more than 200 of which once stood upon massive stone platforms called ahu. At least 700 more moai statues, in various stages of completion, are scattered around the island, either in quarries or along ancient roads between the quarries and the coastal areas where the statues were most often erected. Nearly all the moai are carved from the tough stone of the Rano Raraku volcano. The average statue is 14 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 14 tons; some moai were as large as 33 feet and weighed more than 80 tons (one statue only partially quarried from the bedrock was 65 feet long and would have weighed an estimated 270 tons). The moai and ahu were in use as early as AD 700, but the great majority were carved and erected between AD 1000 and 1500. Depending upon the size of the statue, between 50 and 150 people were needed to drag it across the countryside on sleds and rollers made from the island’s trees. While many of the statues were toppled during the clan wars of the 1600 and 1700s, other statues fell over and cracked while being transported across the island. Recent research has shown that certain statue sites, particularly the most important ones with great ahu platforms, were periodically ritually dismantled and reassembled with ever larger statues. A small number of the moai were once capped with “crowns” or “hats” of red volcanic stone. The meaning and purpose of these capstones is not known, but archaeologists have suggested that the moai thus marked were of pan-island ritual significance or perhaps sacred to a particular clan. Scholars are unable to definitively explain the function and use of the moai statues. It is assumed that their carving and erection derived from an idea rooted in similar practices found elsewhere in Polynesia but which evolved in a unique way on Easter Island. Archaeological and iconographic analysis indicates that the statue cult was based on an ideology of male, lineage-based authority incorporating anthropomorphic symbolism. The statues were thus symbols of authority and power, both religious and political. But they were not only symbols. To the people who erected and used them, they were actual repositories of sacred spirit. All carved objects in ancient Polynesian religions were, when properly fashioned and ritually prepared, believed to be charged by a magical spiritual essence called mana. The ahu platforms of Easter Island were the sanctuaries of the people of Rapa Nui, and the moai statues were the ritually charged sacred objects of those sanctuaries. While the statues have been toppled and re-erected over the centuries, and while great social and environmental calamity afflicted the island, the mana or spiritual presence of Rapa Nui is still strongly present at the ahu sites and atop the sacred volcanoes.


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