(Newswire.net — December 18, 2019) — The Easter Island of Polynesia is known for its mysterious figures known as mo’ai. The natives believe the figures help plants grow, and this turns out to be true.
A new study by American scientists shows that the ancient inhabitants of the Easter Island may have been right.
A study published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS One found the Rapa Nui, the ancient people who lived on Easter Island, built the location’s iconic monuments near freshwater sources along the coast, USA Today reports. But that is just a half of the story.
A new analysis of the quarry where more than 90 percent of the monoliths were carved has now revealed that the Rapanui people may have been right about using the sculpts to please the Gods of agriculture. However, there is precise science behind it all.
A five-year study of two mo’ai monuments conducted by experts at the University of California Los Angeles found that the very process of carving, which took place from the 13th to 16th centuries, turned the quarry into an agricultural oasis. By carving hundreds of stone figures, a layer of salt covered the soil and made it rich in nutrients. This, along with an abundance of running water, allowed bananas, tar and sweet potatoes to grow.
The analysis showed that the soil around the mo’ai is much more fertile than in other parts of the island, Daily Mail reports.
The mo’ai were carved in Rano Raruku, the volcanic crater formed of consolidated volcanic ash, located on the lower slopes of Terevaka in the Rapa Nui National Park on Easter Island in Chile. The mo’ai were then transferred to the other end of the island, except for a few who remained in the quarry for ceremonial reasons.
The quarry soil was already considered to be the most fertile on the island due to the constant influx of fresh water, but mo’ai statues have increased its fertility, experts say.
Quarry workers have been extracting stone, scattering around – by digging and burying clay-rich quarry – calcium and phosphorus, which are important nutrients for plant growth.
In other parts of the island, the soil stood out, but in the quarry, where it was constantly worked, the soil was subdued due to the influx of water, natural fertilizer and nutrients.