Paris Exhibit questions Easter Island downfall

There appears to be a new exhibit in Paris, that focuses on the demise of civilization on Easter Island. The exhibit is being displayed at the Foundation of Électricité de France (Espace Fondation EDF, 6 rue Récamier, Paris 75007), through March 1, 2009.

From an article about the exhibit .....
(full article can be found here http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/12/asia/atease.php)

• The curators, Michel and Catherine Orliac of France's National Center for Scientific Research, explain (although not in English) that an examination by Ms. Orliac of 12,000 charcoal remains demonstrated the disappearance of trees, shrubs and undergrowth to be a brutal process. They link its cause to a fall in ocean temperatures and salinity, caused by a natural phenomenon like El Niño in the years 1600 to 1640.

Before the middle of the 17th century, the exhibit's documentation says, the island had 23 species of trees and shrubs; afterward only six remained. For Michel Orliac, to whom I spoke, it would be hard to conceive of the island's accomplished Polynesian sailors disregarding their need for wood to make boats in favor of sleds for moving the statues.

"If it were just the big trees that disappeared, you could accuse man," he said. "But it was all the little species, too."

The exhibit's verdict: "Only a natural phenomenon of great dimensions is capable of producing such a catastrophe. It was probably a drought." *

The exhibit has some island artifacts and film clips on display .... could be an interesting side visit if you are in Paris.

Vern

Yeah, and that's the third Rapa Nui exhibit of the year here !

That is very interesting. It makes much more sense than all the previous theories. It's too bad though.. the whole cutting down trees to build moai and then eating each other story is sooo much cooler.

I had read an article a while back (and something similar here on TC?) that it was rats (who were introduced on the first boats along with man, with no natural predators there) that did them in. The big palm they used to move the Moai's was a Jubaea and I can tell you from personal experience its rate of growth is beyond slow. The fruit on the tree is supposed to be quite tasty (not that they need any more incentive) and they will chew thru the endocarp of almost anything to get at the seed. A similar thing is currently going on in the South Pacific, whole Islands are no longer reproducing many types of palms (and I presume other plants) the rats eat everything before it can get to seedling stage.

Just my two cents

Bosko

Sounds like it's time to get into the Cat Trading biz.