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From at least 30,000 years before humans arrived, and during the early years of Polynesian settlement, the island was a tropical forest of trees and bushes. One could find the rope-yielding hauhau free, the toromiro tree, and mesquite-like firewood. There were also many palms that provided food. There were many different species of birds habiting the island, and large numbers of porpoises around the island.
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Population estimates during this time range from 7,000-200,000
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Numberes of the hauhau tree were also so low that rope could no longer be made from them. This date also marked the end to the forest itself.
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Bones began dissapearing from garbage heaps by this date. Colonies of more than half of the seabirds were also wiped out.
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Large population during this time. Many stone spear points date from this period. By 1700, the population began to crash to about 1/4 or 1/10 of its former number.
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Roggeveen discovers an island that is simply a grassland with no trees of bushes higher than 10 feet. No source of firewood, no native animals larger than insects, and no other domestic animals than chickens can be found. The population was estimated to be 2,000. Statues are still standing
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He describes the islander's canoes as leaky and frail. One about three or four canoes can be found.
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Only one, nearly dead toromiro tree remained.
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Evidence inclues charcoal from wood fires. Numbers of palms and woody shrubs decreased significantly.
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Many birds and porpoises eathen during this time. Islanders ate albatross, boobies, frigate birds, fulmars, petrels, prions, shearwaters, storm petrels, terns, and tropic birds. Polynesians also ate rats, the bones of which outnumber the bones of fish.
