KRISTA ALBRITTON
Staff Writer
Isn’t it amazing how much we know about the past? New information that deepens our well of knowledge is constantly being discovered.
It’s mind-blowing, if you really think about it. Languages that have not been spoken for centuries can now be articulated. Social structures and the ways of life of people long gone can be parsed out based on artifacts left behind.
All of the mysterious monuments or statues that had people questioning how they were built or how they got there are quickly becoming less of a mystery.
Take Easter Island, for example. For years, this island has been wrapped in the veil of mystery, the paranormal and, according to some, the extraterrestrial. This island is covered with giant towering Moai statues that are otherwise known as the Easter Island Heads. The statues actually have entire bodies covered in intricate carvings and possibly an unknown language, but they have been around for so long that everything but the head buried.
The Moai were carved out of the volcanic rock on the island before being transported to their final resting place. Some of these statues could weigh up to 82 tons and reach heights of 33 feet. This is where the mystery of how they were moved comes in.
At least, it used to be. Researchers now believe they have figured out how the Moai were moved, and it’s only a matter of time before the language is deciphered. These kinds of discoveries are becoming more and more common. This is great, fantastic even…right?
I say wrong. Yes, the fact that modern people have such a deep understanding of ancient civilizations is extraordinary. My sci- ence and history loving mind is just as quick as the next guy or girl to drink up any new advancements.
However, what happens when there is nothing left to discover?
In my opinion, one of the best parts of being alive is looking around and realizing how many secrets the world holds. Looking at something with the feeling of baffled amazement is like nothing else. What kind of world would we be living in when you can no longer have that feeling?
I, for one, don’t want to find out. Our world can be a beautiful and magical place. I don’t think we should be so quick to further disenchant ourselves from it.