In 2024, Columbia archaeologist Dylan Davis challenged previous beliefs about the Rapa Nui, arguing that their population was sustainable until European settlers arrived in the 18th century. Davis's study utilized satellite imagery to reveal that the residents' agricultural practices, which included an efficient 'rock gardening' method for growing crops, were effective in maintaining a stable environment. This research calls into question former narratives around the Rapa Nui's supposed overpopulation and failure, showing instead their resilience and adaptability in managing limited resources.
This shows that the population could never have been as big as some of the earlier estimates suggested.
There are natural rock outcrops all over the place that had been misidentified as rock gardens in the past.
People were able to be very resilient in the face of limited resources by modifying the environment in a way that helped.
The lesson is the opposite of the collapse theory.
Collection
[
|
...
]