General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The Easter Island Heads Have Bodies [View all]HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)picture of all the variables than you do from reading a single source. and once you read more widely, you can see that diamond's book has some holes.
i've posted several links; there's also syphilis in the mix, which predated smallpox. From the French expedition of 1786:
Also, diamond says since there were no trees the easter islanders had no boats, but there's evidence to contradict this from a contact circa 1830s:
Atlas in Pictures of the Voyage around the World of the frigate Venus, 1830 - 1839 by Dupetit-Thouars. Published in Paris in 1846.
Drawing by Choris from the (book above) showing two types of Easter Island canoe made of driftwood. One is a sewn canoe with an outrigger and one is the same type of canoe without such an outrigger. An oar and a paddle with a human head are also shown.
http://www.chauvet-translation.com/figurelegends.htm