Island at the Edge of the World

'The true and fascinating story of Easter Island and its amazing statues' KEN FOLLETT 'Revelatory... fascinating... [and] wholly convincing' MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘Compelling … a magisterial history’ NEW YORK TIMES Where did they come from? How did they get there? Why did they carve the island’s colossal statues? And what happened to the civilisation that raised them? For centuries, Easter Island – or Rapa Nui – has been cloaked in mystery and speculation. Now, in his revelatory investigation, archaeologist Mike Pitts unearths a powerful new history of the island, its people and the events that led to its downfall. Bringing to light the latest scientific and archaeological discoveries, Pitts also revives the work of pioneering anthropologist Katherine Routledge, whose priceless research has long been ignored. Bold, surprising and utterly gripping, Island at the Edge of the World overturns everything we thought we knew about Rapa Nui and where the blame for its devastation truly lies.

'The true and fascinating story of Easter Island and its amazing statues' KEN FOLLETT 'Revelatory... fascinating... [and] wholly convincing' MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘Compelling … a magisterial history’ NEW YORK TIMES Where did they come from? How did they get there? Why did they carve the island’s colossal statues? And what happened to the civilisation that raised them? For centuries, Easter Island – or Rapa Nui – has been cloaked in mystery and speculation. Now, in his revelatory investigation, archaeologist Mike Pitts unearths a powerful new history of the island, its people and the events that led to its downfall. Bringing to light the latest scientific and archaeological discoveries, Pitts also revives the work of pioneering anthropologist Katherine Routledge, whose priceless research has long been ignored. Bold, surprising and utterly gripping, Island at the Edge of the World overturns everything we thought we knew about Rapa Nui and where the blame for its devastation truly lies.