The remote Pacific island of Rapa Nui, known as Easter Island, has long been associated with a mysterious population collapse in the 17th century. However, a recent study published in the journal Nature has revealed that this theory may not hold true. The analysis of ancient DNA from 15 individuals from the island suggests that there was no rapid decline in the population caused by deforestation, resource depletion, or warfare. Instead, the research indicates that the population steadily increased until the 1860s when Peruvian slave raids contributed to a decrease in numbers.

The study, conducted with the approval of Rapa Nui community representatives, analyzed the remains of individuals that had been relocated from the island to a museum in France during colonization. The examination of the DNA showed no evidence of a genetic bottleneck, which would have indicated a population collapse in the 17th century. In fact, the data revealed that the island's population continued to grow until the 1860s. It was during this period that one-third of the population was diminished due to Peruvian slave raids.

"We don't think that we have any evidence at a genetic level of a collapse," explained Anna-Sapfo Malaspinas, one of the study's co-authors from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. She highlighted that in a collapse scenario, the population levels would decrease along with a loss of genetic diversity, which was not observed in this case.

The findings challenge previous estimates of Rapa Nui's population size, indicating that there were never more than 3,000 inhabitants living on the island. This number aligns with observations made by the first colonizers and deviates significantly from earlier estimations of 15,000 individuals. Stephan Schiffels and Kathrin Nägele, archaeogeneticists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, who were not involved in the study, noted in a News and Views piece accompanying the research that the hypothesized collapse was likely a misconception.

Interestingly, the DNA analysis also demonstrated the presence of Native American DNA in both contemporary and past Rapa Nui individuals. This suggests that mixing between Polynesians and Native Americans occurred between A.D. 1250 and 1430, long before European contact in 1722. The study authors propose that this finding indicates the possibility of Polynesians crossing the Pacific Ocean and visiting the Americas, although further analysis is needed to understand the exact circumstances.

The new research adds to a growing body of evidence debunking the notion of a population collapse on Easter Island. Previous studies, using satellite images and machine learning, examined the number of rock gardens, which were used to enrich the soil, and concluded that they could only support smaller populations. These findings align with the DNA analysis, indicating a consistent narrative of a sustainable population rather than a collapse scenario.

The DNA samples obtained from the study will be utilized for identification and repatriation purposes, according to the release. However, not everyone is convinced by these findings. Jo Anne Van Tilburg, an archaeologist and director of the Easter Island Statue Project, mentioned that further investigation and archaeological evidence are necessary to support the claims made by the study.

The study highlights the complexity of the population history of Easter Island, shedding new light on the island's past inhabitants and their interactions with different cultures. As researchers continue to uncover more about this enigmatic island, additional analysis and collaboration between disciplines will be crucial to unraveling its mysteries.