A mysterious Easter Island script may be older than European contact, suggesting they invented writing independently

A study on Easter Island's Rongorongo script suggests it might be an independent invention, predating European arrival. Researchers' radiocarbon dating of wooden tablets indicates some are centuries older than previously thought. If confirmed, this would place Rongorongo among a rare few writing systems developed without outside influence, potentially rewriting human history and highlighting Rapa Nui intellectual prowess.

A mysterious Easter Island script may be older than European contact, suggesting they invented writing independently
A study on Easter Island's Rongorongo script suggests it might be an independent invention, predating European arrival. Researchers' radiocarbon dating of wooden tablets indicates some are centuries older than previously thought. If confirmed, this would place Rongorongo among a rare few writing systems developed without outside influence, potentially rewriting human history and highlighting Rapa Nui intellectual prowess.