A news article popped up in my feed today about the recent theory as to why the famous huge statues on Easter Island were placed where they are. According to a recent study, the theory goes that the people of Rapa Nui positioned them near sources of fresh water. Essentially these were a territorial display protecting the island’s limited water – at the border where enemies might consider invading this precious land.
Statues? Really? That’s going to protect them? One could argue that these were mystical times, people believed in evil spirits, gods with a small g and other fantastic things. But perhaps its just another example of placating and occupying the huddled masses.
Think about it – it took an enormous amount of time and investment to build these things. It also took a lot of time and investment to stay in charge. Whoever was running things, likely priests or kings needed to show that they were protecting the people, and to keep them occupied with things that didn’t involve wealth and resources – more for the king! Pyramids, the great walls of the past, crazy castles and cathedrals. This is the way the powerful control the ignorant masses. Fear, grandeur, power, and organizing around an often irrelevant but incredibly appealing effort.