Easter Island inhabitants had contact with South America over a thousand years ago, study finds

Traces of Breadfruit and other South American crops found recently discovered early settlement on Easter Island , Rapa Nui,  point towards regular contact between South America and the island territory over 1000 years ago, a new study finds.

The peer-reviewed study from Journal Plos One, published on March 20, claimed that researchers discovered the food remnants by identifying starch grains on obsidian blades discovered in 1987.

Other vegetable remains found in the study include ginger, taro, yam, and sweet potato.

This discovery happened at the archaeological site Anakena, the earliest known settlement on Easter Island, inhabited from around A.D 1000 to 1300.

Understanding the food culture on the island during this time period suggests that these earlier Polynesian settlers had regular contact with mainland South Americans over a millennium ago.

"The detection of Ipomema Batatas (sweet potato) from this site in Rapa Nui constitutes the earliest record of this cultigen in the Pacific."

Study sheds light onto earlier trade routes with South America 

This also sheds light on trade routes and consumption patterns on Easter Island a thousand years ago.  

Scientists know early settlers consumed fish, dolphins, seals, chicken, and rats. However, plant remains have not been thoroughly investigated.

Researchers caution that this study needs to be investigated more to confirm the interaction fully.

Easter Island was discovered in 1722 by Dutch explorers, and its native population has lived on the island for hundreds of years. 

The oral history of the native Rapa Nui people claims that at least a "one-round trip voyage to South America was made from the island during the early years of its settlement."

It is primarily disputed how the native population arrived on the island and whether they were originally from South America.