Although the origin of the Easter Islanders is still a bit of a mystery, there are a few common theories. Easter Islanders are thought by many to be of Peruvian descent primarily because of the similarity of the statues and monuments that are found in both places. Science however, does provide evidence of a polynesian discovery of the island sometime around 400 AD. In 1994 a study of DNA from many of the skeletal remains did in fact prove them to be of polynesian descent. The island environment provided well for the settlers and as agriculture was developed, the population grew. The number of inhabitants swelled to between 9,000 and 10,000 by the mid 1500s before the islands resources could no longer support them. Inevitably the ecosystem collapsed and war broke out among the various groups.

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