Did the people of Easter Island independently invent writing?


A wooden tablet from Rapa Nui with Rongorongo glyphs carved into it

Silvia Ferrara

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When we think about the invention of writing, we generally think about Eurasia and Africa. It might bring to mind Mesopotamia in western Asia and the invention of cuneiform, or perhaps Egyptian hieroglyphics.

As a rule, we don’t think about isolated Pacific islands. But maybe we should. On Rapa Nui in…

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