Easter Islanders relied on freshwater springs under the sea to survive

Surveys of Easter Island show that ancient settlements and the sites of the island’s famous giant statues are situated close to freshwater springs that are only accessible at low tide



Environment



4 March 2022

Moais of Ahu Tongariki

The moai statues of Ahu Tongariki, Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

Shutterstock/Alberto Loyo

Undersea springs may have been crucial for the survival of the people who built the massive stone statues for which Rapa Nui – also known as Easter Island – is famous. Their ancient settlements and the platforms on which the monolithic statues were placed were all located on the coast close to such springs, surveys have shown.

These sources of fresh water were critically important, allowing Rapa Nui communities to survive long droughts, said Robert DiNapoli at Binghamton University in New …