By the Quebrada of Ava Ranga Uka A Toroke Hau – about landscape transformation and the significance of water and trees

Vogt, Burkhard; Kühlem, Annette

doi:10.4324/9781315294452-7

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…The use of UAS for SGD detection has grown in popularity given the ability of these platforms to rapidly and inexpensively produce highresolution maps of freshwater discharge sources (e.g., [8][9][10][11][12][13][14]). Here, we further demonstrate the utility of this approach in a study conducted on Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile, Figure 1), a small island in the southeastern Pacific where freshwater access has shown to be vital for understanding past and future communities [15][16][17][18][19]. Our research adds to the results of recent studies showing that SGD is plentiful on Rapa Nui and strongly associated with the locations of ancient settlements, and we hypothesize that the use of SGD by past communities represents a solution to the inherent and climate-induced surface freshwater scarcity on the island.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Rapa Nui people also used inland water sources such as the crater lakes and places where fresh water could be impounded. A unique inland water feature occurs at Ava Ranga Uka a Toroke Hau, where Rapa Nui people constructed a relatively large stone-lined basin likely used to trap surface runoff and overflow from Rano Aroi [18,19]. Given the sparse evidence of settlements near this location, frequent droughts and high evapotranspiration rates, however, it is unlikely this location served as a long-term water source.…”

Section: Ancient Rapa Nui Water Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thermal Imaging Shows Submarine Groundwater Discharge Plumes Associated with Ancient Settlements on Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile)

et al. 2021

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Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is an important component of many coastal environments and hydrologic processes, providing sources of nutrients to marine ecosystems, and potentially, an important source of fresh water for human populations. Here, we use a combination of unpiloted aerial systems (UAS) thermal infrared (TIR) imaging and salinity measurements to characterize SGD on the remote East Polynesian island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile). Previous research has shown that coastal freshwater seeps are abundant on Rapa Nui and strongly associated with the locations of ancient settlement sites. We currently lack, however, information on the differential magnitude or quality of these sources of fresh water. Our UAS-based TIR results from four locations on Rapa Nui suggest that locations of variably-sized SGD plumes are associated with many ancient settlement sites on the island and that these water sources are resilient to drought events. These findings support previous work indicating that ancient Rapa Nui communities responded to the inherent and climate-induced hydrological challenges of the island by focusing on these abundant and resilient freshwater sources. Our results highlight the efficacy of using UAS-based TIR for detecting relatively small SGD locations and provide key insights on the potential uses of these water sources for past and current Rapa Nui communities.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Ancient Rapa Nui Water Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal Imaging Shows Submarine Groundwater Discharge Plumes Associated with Ancient Settlements on Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile)

et al. 2021

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“…The most important recent finding is a probable water management system documented by Vogt and Kühlem (2017). Their extensive excavations provide archaeological evidence of stone-faced earthen installations in a seasonal watercourse known as ko te ava a raŋa uka a toroke ha'u that terminates at the coastline six kilometers away at Opipiri near Ahu Akahaŋa.…”

Section: Rapa Nui: Human Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapa Nui

Tilburg¹

2020

Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology

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“…he best-known example of this activity can be found at Ava Ranga Uka A Toroke Hau (Vogt and Moser 2010). In a gully that runs south from Terevaka and near an ahu, Vogt and Kühlem (2018) have documented an elaborate set of water-retention features that include a stone-lined basin and possible dam feature. Stevenson (1997: 142) has also documented similar features possibly used for water diversion at the agricultural complex on Maunga Tari.…”

Section: Inland Springs and Reservoirsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ethnohistory of freshwater use on Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile)

Hixon

DiNapoli

Lipo

et al. 2019

jps

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Sources of drinking water on islands often present critical constraints to human habitation. On Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile), there is remarkably little surface fresh water due to the nature of the island's volcanic geology. While several lakes exist in volcanic craters, most rainwater quickly passes into the subsurface and emerges at coastal springs. Nevertheless, the island sustained a relatively large human population for hundreds of years, one that built an impressive array of monumental platforms (ahu) and statues (moai). To understand how Rapanui acquired their scarce fresh water, we review ethnohistoric data from first European arrival (1722) through the mid-twentieth century. Ethnohistoric accounts identify a diversity of freshwater sources and describe various Rapanui freshwater management strategies. Our findings highlight the importance of coastal freshwater seeps and provide much-needed insight into how Rapanui procured this vital and necessary resource.

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By the Quebrada of Ava Ranga Uka A Toroke Hau – about landscape transformation and the significance of water and trees

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Thermal Imaging Shows Submarine Groundwater Discharge Plumes Associated with Ancient Settlements on Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile)

Thermal Imaging Shows Submarine Groundwater Discharge Plumes Associated with Ancient Settlements on Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile)

Rapa Nui

The ethnohistory of freshwater use on Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile)

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