Today's story is about the island called Easter Island, known as Rapa Nui, to the indigenous peoples.

The most iconic feature of the island are the Moai statues that are instantly recognisable to most people interested in the culture of the world.

Just who were the people responsible for the construction of these amazing statues?

Where did they come from? What did they do?

Why did they create these statues and how did they move them?

When Europeans first discovered Easter Island in the 18th century, they discovered a depleted population who were no longer creating Moai statues.

So what happened to the people of Rapa Nui that changed their fortune?

This episode focuses on the history of the island and delves deeper into its mysteries.

The History of the World podcast written and presented by Chris Hasler.

Volume 4, The Medieval World

Episode 84, Easter Island

Music Easter Island We can trace all the way back to the 4th century BCE ancient Greek polymath Aristotle

for the theory that land masses in the northern hemisphere should be counterbalanced

by equivalent land masses in the southern hemisphere.

Back in those times there was little knowledge of the southern hemisphere, so there was

very little to be able to challenge

this theory. The theory continued to be seriously considered and was supported by the highly

respected second century Alexandrian polymath Ptolemy. So this was the origin of a theory of a southern hemisphere continental landmass, which came to be known as Terra Australis.

The discovery of this Terra Australis remained fascinating for explorers right up until the age of discovery.

One such explorer was Jacob Rochevein.

In the year 1721, the Dutch West India Company sponsored Roqueven to find the mysterious Terra Australis.

During this period, the Dutch were working incredibly hard to head the monopoly on global trade,

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