Easter Island had American sweet potato in its archaeological record. DNA analysis shows South American genetic markers in some Rapa Nui people and Pacific Islanders, though the timing and extent of this contact remains debated. The sweet potato originated in the Americas, and its presence on Easter Island indicates contact between Polynesians and South Americans at some point. However, a 2017 study in Current Biology found that Native American ancestry in contemporary Easter Islanders was likely introduced after European contact, not pre-Columbian. Some earlier genetic evidence suggests South American ancestry may predate European contact in parts of Polynesia, but this remains debated.
Easter Island shows Trans-Pacific contact evidence
Chile, Easter IslandGeneral
Key facts
- A 2024 paper showed Easter Island had both sweet potato and ginger in its earliest habitats
- Sweet potato originated in the Americas while ginger came from Asia, proving contact between Easter Island, Asia, and South America
- A 2023 paper on native pre-contact Easter Island people found both Polynesian DNA and South American DNA
- This South American DNA spreads into Pacific Islands beyond Easter Island
- Lower sea levels would have created a chain of islands from Asia to South America with Easter Island centrally located
- Geologist Robert Schock noted many partially buried Moai appear to have been covered over tens of thousands of years
Site mentioned
Sources
philsci-archive.pitt.edu
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frontiersin.org
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ehillerman.unm.edu
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allthatsinteresting.com
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