Scientists have examined artifacts that are found from the mysterious and one of the most isolated islands on Earth known as Easter Island near Chile, that are now questioning if the last ancient civilization there was indeed destroyed by warfare.

Researchers from Binghamton University examined and investigated more than 100 ancient artifacts that were recovered from the shorelines of Easter Island or Rapa Nui, where scientists first thought that they were spear heads but further analysis revealed that they were everyday tools.

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These tools are made from obsidian or volcanic glass as these thousands of triangular shaped objects have been scattered around the surface of the island, as they are known as mata'a.

According to lead author of the study, anthropology professor Carl Lipo from Binghamton University, upon closer inspection of their shape, these tiny things do not appear to be weapons at all. When these mata'a were compared to other European weapons or other weapons found elsewhere in the world, the weapons appear to be systematic in shape and very sturdy.

Lipo explains it is possible to use anything as a spear or anything as a weapon however, under warfare conditions, it is essential for weapons to perform well and to be carefully made and carved and the mata'a does not fall under that characteristic, since it is not lethal enough. 

Scientists also estimate that during this time, the population of Easter Island would have reached around 20,000 however, it declined over the centuries due to deforestation for making canoes to transport its famous giant head statues.

A possible theory is that when much of the trees were cut down, soil erosion left a significant effect leading to the island's questionable ability to sustain its wildlife and agricultural systems, as civilization collapsed. The Dutch arrived on the island in 1722, where its inhabitants were less than 3,000. After a century and a half, there were only 111 islanders left.

Experts also suggest that it is possible that Easter Island did not support large human populations, where they also say that the arrival of Europeans brought diseases, wiping out the population and whatever's left were taken away as slaves.  

Lipo says that people would normally think how the island suffered from catastrophic events and imminent collapse which is not true in a prehistoric sense. He adds how populations were successful as they lived on sustainable means up until contact with foreigners.

This new study is published in the journal Antiquity.