War may not have led to easter islands ancient collapse. That interest has stayed with me over the last forty years, stimulated by visits to maya ruins and anasazi sites and by reading about other collapsed societies. The traditional explanation, detailed in paul bahn and john flenleys book easter island, earth island and later popularized by jared diamond s book collapse, describes an overzealous. How societies choose to fail or succeed and from an article in discover magazine.
Diamond looks at the evidence for easter island that suggests the reason for its decline was that the local population had eaten all the native animals and felled all the trees. In a remote corner of south west greenland, a group of. The easter island ecocide theory put forward by diamond quickly became a widely promoted mantra, particularly among environmentalists, despite being challenged in the paper from genocide to ecocide. Elsa beazley arrives at easter island in 1916 with her new husband and her mentally handicapped sister. Jan 25, 2018 in the ecocide hypothesis popularized by the geographer jared diamond, rapa nui is used as a demonstration of how society is doomed to collapse if we do not sit up and take note.
Mar 03, 2016 conventional wisdom holds that environmental destruction and internecine warfare led to societal and economic collapse on this tiny island located some 2,150 miles off the coast of chile. Through his historical account of easter island through the three sciences, archeology, pollen analysis, and paleontology, diamond shows the slow delineation of the islanders through environmental destruction. This is the first novel ive seen about this island of mystery. But more than 60 years of archaeological research actually paints a very different pictureand now, new genetic data sheds further light on the islands fate. The collapse story for easter island is a convenient and popular parable used for shocking the public about the dangers of overexuberance and environmental disregard. Using a vast historical and geographical perspective ranging from easter island and the maya to viking greenland and modern montana, diamond traces a fundamental pattern of environmental catastropheone whose warning signs can be seen in our modern world and that we ignore at our peril. Of those, only 288 made it to their ahu, while the rest remained in the volcano or were left in limbo between rano raraku and their ahu source. Feb 21, 2016 this is an argument that lipo and his coauthor, terry hunt, have been making for a while almost since they began studying easter island, also called rapa nui, in 2000. The author pursues the question why some societies collapsed and others didnt.
In the ecocide hypothesis popularised by the geographer jared diamond. For a tiny island of 64 square miles, with its nearest neighbors some 1,300 miles away, it has seen more than its fair share of controversy. Yet, the first european travellers to the island marvelled at large and delicately carved statues covering the whole of the island. How societies choose to fail or survive is a visionary study of the mysterious downfall of past civilizations. How societies choose to fail or survive by jared diamond allen lane. This theory was especially popularized by collapse. In conclusion, in easters end jared diamond warns us of our vulnerability to suffer the same fate that easter island suffered. Jared diamond, who used the easter island story as the lead case study in his 2005 book collapse, responds to the charge below. The easter island ecocide never happened response to. Chile annexed easter island, although islanders only became citizens in 1966.
This led to rapid erosion of the soils and further degradation of the landscape. Easter island is the most isolated piece of inhabited land in the world. Environmental damage, climate change, globalization, rapid population growth, and unwise. Paper author barry peiser argues that diamonds significant. Diamonds examination of easter island once again demonstrates that culture cannot survive without nature. Jared diamond, who used the easter island story as the lead case study in his 2005 book collapse, responds to the charge. Different pathways of tikopia and easter island tikopia island and easter island are.
Easter island is the story of two women who went to the island and did research. New evidence finds that easter island wasnt destroyed by. Ever since these monoliths were encountered by european explorers in the 18th century, the history of the island. In 900, people from other island settled on easter island and they prospered. With lessons from the norse of iron age greenland, deforested easter island and presentday montana, jared diamond talks about the signs that collapse is near, and how if we see it in time. Originally, there were many trees on easter island like other polynesian islands. Palm trees, which were essential to the easter island economy were misused and overharvested, in part to serve the wasteful practice of moai building. Easter island has become a paragon of prehistoric humaninduced ecological catastrophe and cultural collapse, based on two rather contradictory narratives. How societies choose to fail or survive by jared diamond 400pp, allen lane. Dec 15, 20 easter island, or rapa nui, in the polynesian language, is a small remote island a few thousand miles west of south america. Im so glad i decided to read it because its just a great book full of interesting information, some of which id never come across before, and such a. As no other phenomenon in living memory, the indian ocean earthquake and resulting tsunami have reminded. One of the most interesting features of this island is its 887 giant monolithic statues named moai.
Barbara king recently asked why does jared diamond make anthropologists so mad. Moving from the polynesian cultures on easter island to the flourishing american civilizations of the anasazi and the maya and finally. Its not my place to speak for anthropologists im not mike the mad anthropologist, but i do know what has made me very skeptical of diamonds claims. The twoway the question of what caused easter islands demise is a matter of hot debate. How societies choose to fail or succeed titled collapse.
The myths of easter island jared diamond responds mark lynas. The big picture still looks like overexploitation, but when you get down into the details it does get messier, as not all the evidence marshalled to support the competing interpretations is strong enough to do so. My selfguided tour plan leads me to another question. How societies choose to fail or succeed, adds selfinflicted environmental degradation, climate change, disastrous trading relations, and unwise responses to societal problems. The easter islanders had no books and no histories of other doomed. Best books on easter island easter island forum tripadvisor. Jo anne van tilburg is herself an archeologist who worked long years on easter island. Easter island, a lesson for us all sustainable footprint. Easter island, also known as rapa nui, is an island in the pacific famous for the massive humanoid statues peppered along its coasts. An answer for an enduring question barzin pakandam abstract easter island is the most isolated inhabited spot on earth, devoid of heavy timber and most resources. As jared diamond tells it in his bestselling book, collapse, easter island is the clearest example of a society that destroyed itself by. Collapse 2005 in this book jared diamond tells about the collapse of easter island, but also about several other cases of historical and modern societies who seemingly deliberately destroy the ecosystem they depend upon. Barry roletts and my comparative analysis helps us understand why easter, of all pacific islands, suffered such a severe collapse. New research challenges reason for easter island collapse.
Easter island, an isolated plot of land in a remote part of the pacific ocean, is best known for the huge stone statues that dot the landscape. Nov 03, 2015 the easter island ecocide theory put forward by diamond quickly became a widely promoted mantra, particularly among environmentalists, despite being challenged in the paper from genocide to ecocide. How societies choose to fail or succeed by ucla geographer jared diamond. How societies choose to fail or succeed by jared diamond was written in 2005 as a successor to diamond s 1997 bestselling guns, germs, and steel. As always, you can judge this book for yourself by reading a substantial excerpt at bookbrowse, which will give you an understanding of the book s overall premise sufficient to hold your own in conversation on the subject with most peoplecontinued.
While the initial name of the island was considered to be te pito o te henua, which means the navel of the world, it was renamed in 1722 when the dutch explorer. Jan 24, 20 the explanation of easter islands collapse is one of mans rapaciousness. Environmental damage, climate change, globalization, rapid population growth. The statues are the obvious hook to get kids involved in the history of the island, but the material is presented chronologically. In the 1600s, easter island was at the height of its civilization. Hunt last semester, and he used his easter island research to provide test cases and practical examples of the concepts we were going over. We visited easter island in sept 2017 and have compiled this list of best easter island books for the curious traveler. As no other phenomenon in living memory, the indian.
Strong cultural coverage gets under the skin of this skinny country including a special feature on wine. In just a few centuries, the people of easter island wiped out their forest, drove. From the author of guns, germs and steel, jared diamond s collapse. Tensions between mainland chileans and islanders 118. The socalled collapse of rapa nuis food supply, which resulted in starvation and cannibalism, is a longheld theory and, on occasion, a parable for the dangers of abusing the environment. May 11, 2016 the first account, popularised by jared diamond in his bestselling book collapse 2005, presents the islands history as a cautionary tale of the destructive potential of humans to overexploit natural resources. Tragically, it was statue building that seems to have lead to easter islands collapse. The explanation of easter islands collapse is one of mans rapaciousness. F or a long while it wasnt clear whether the islands native population originated in polynesia or south america. And as young native islanders have told us, knowledge of their ancestors success, not failure, matters greatly to them. A contradictory account has been advocated over the past decade by a group of scholars, led by the anthropologists carl lipo and.
The mysterious stone statues carved and erected by the rapa nui people have enthralled people since their discovery. He is pretty much one of three authoritative people studying rapa nui these days, and i can say from listening to him talk about it firsthand, the man knows his. Mar 28, 2000 easter island, an isolated plot of land in a remote part of the pacific ocean, is best known for the huge stone statues that dot the landscape. Nova world in the balance out of house and home pbs. The rape of rapa nui 2 soon after the publication of collapse.
It lies in the pacific ocean more than 2,000 miles west of the nearest continent south america, 1,400. In collapse, diamond judged easter island as one of the more egregious examples of ecocide in human history, a product of the folly of the islands rulers whose decision to construct huge statues led to deforestation and collapse. However, to blame it all on europeans dismisses all the convincing evidence that easter society had been collapsing well before european. The immediate fate of liberal capitalism, which plunges into a free fall towards the implosion of a black hole boosted by the constant growth of a systemic crisis and that is inevitably attracted by the sucking maelstrom of an ominous global collapse, shows fascinating similarities with the sudden extinction of the moai culture that took place in easter island. The mystery of easter island is the title of untold books and modern film documentaries.
As jared diamond tells it in his bestselling book, collapse, easter island is the clearest example of a society that destroyed itself by overexploiting its own resources. Collapse spends considerable pages contemplating past life on easter island, as well as on pitcairn and henderson islands, and on greenland, an island. Pitcairn island and henderson island chapter 3, also settled. In recent years numerous papers and books have discussed the events that led to the demographic collapse on easter island rapa nui in the 16th and 17th century. For a tiny island of 64 square miles, with its nearest neighbours some. The growing population just added to the problem, and the island eventually just couldnt support its inhabitants. Lonely planet chile and easter island country travel guide. Jared diamond reading is from a chapter in his 2005 book. About 400 year ago a complete deforestation on easter island lead to a collapse of the easter society. Diamond names easter island as the most prominent example of resource misuse destroying an entire society. Famous for its enigmatic statues and farflung location, easter island, and the mystery around its population collapse, has confounded researchers since captain cook and his crew visited it in 1774. Easter island has always interested me so ive read a lot of nonfiction books about it.
Easter island got its name from the dutch admiral jacob roggeveen, who landed there on easter sunday in 1722 source. Easter island is one of the most fragile environments in the polynesian islands. Diamonds bottom line is clear for all our technology and electronic widgets, we are still bound to nature and reliant on it. Dec 10, 20 as jared diamond tells it in his bestselling book, collapse, easter island is the clearest example of a society that destroyed itself by overexploiting its own resources. The traditional explanation, detailed in paul bahn and john flenleys book easter island, earth island and later popularized by jared diamonds book collapse, describes an overzealous. A companion to easter island a concise guide to the history, culture, and individual archaeological sites at rapa nui, p. Now in a revised edition with a new afterword, jared diamond s collapse uncovers the secret behind why some societies flourish, while others founder and what this means for our future.
Jared diamonds thesis that easter island society collapsed in isolation entirely due. Their movement from quarry to erection site required so many trees for logs and rope making that deforestation was complete by 1400 to 1600 ad. This title features expanded coverage of patagonia, including new adventure options in puerto natales and more information on chiles crown jewel, torres del paine national park. The grim history of easter island may have taken place over 300 years ago but its tragic fate has wider implications.
Im so glad i decided to read it because its just a great book full of interesting information, some of which id never come across before, and such a lovely double story. Jared diamond described in its bestseller collapse the reasons for this ecoside. Collapse is destined to take its place as one of the essential books of our time, raising the urgent question. He notes the devastating blows inflicted on the tribes as they experienced the loss of raw materials, wildcaught foods, and the decrease in crop yields as soil fertility declines. Easter island, or rapa nui, in the polynesian language, is a small remote island a few thousand miles west of south america. The book questioning collapse cambridge university press, 2010 is a collection of essays by anthropologists criticizing various aspects of diamonds books collapse and guns, germs and steel. This is an argument that lipo and his coauthor, terry hunt, have been making for a while almost since they began studying easter island, also called rapa nui, in 2000. Rapa nui easter island has become a paragon for prehistoric human induced ecological catastrophe and cultural collapse. In jared diamond s followup to the pulitzerprize winning guns, germs and steel, the author explores how climate change, the population explosion and political discord create the conditions for the collapse of civilization. According to scripture, how are the mighty fallen in the midst of battle ii samuel 1.
These moai are commonly called stone heads, but actually most possess bodies, and the largest constructed stands at over 30 feet and weighs 82 tons. In a remote corner of south west greenland, a group of abandoned buildings stands at the head of a long. Reconsidering the easter island collapse and the irony of. How societies choose to fail or succeed by jared diamond was written in 2005 as a successor to diamonds 1997 bestselling guns, germs, and steel. Easter island, with an area of only 64 square miles, is the worlds most isolated scrap of habitable land. Im particularly interested in books that will give me the sort of info id get if i went on a guided tour. Easter island demise what really happened on easter island. This week i wrote a blog post reexamining the historical evidence for the view that what happened in prehistoric easter island is a classic story of ecological collapse and thereby holds lessons for us all. Conventional wisdom holds that environmental destruction and internecine warfare led to societal and economic collapse on this tiny island located some 2,150 miles off the coast of chile. There is also a small thread of a german world war i naval squadron present in the book. A popular nar rative recounts an obsession for monumental statuary that led to the islands ecological devastation and the collapse of the ancient civilization. War may not have led to easter islands ancient collapse npr. F ew places on earth are as wellknown for their socalled mysteries as easter island, also known as rapa nui. Yet, the first european travellers to the island marvelled at large.
The collapse of easter island 08102014 history baselines, collapse, easter island, elites, history, jared diamond, tikopia island heike huntebrinker about 400 year ago a complete deforestation on easter island lead to a collapse of the easter society. I was convinced that this meant such a tragedy by the book collapse. Ever since i was in my 20s and read thor heyerdahls books about easter island, i became intrigued by the collapse of great societiesas are millions of other people. What happened on easter island a new even scarier scenario. That interest has stayed with me over the last forty years, stimulated by visits to maya ruins and anasazi sites and. By chopping down huge palm trees that were used to transport the stones used in statue construction, the.
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