CARL SKOTTSBERG 



regarding the existing monuments. Last year a small book appeared, entitled 

 »Det sunkne kontinent (Atlanlis)», b}- a Norwegian, C. SUND (Copenhagen 1919). 

 where also the supposed Pacific continent is spoken of. As might be expected, 

 Easter Island forms an important item. With my permission, two of my photo- 

 o-raphs were reproduced. No doubt Mr. SuND regards him.self as excused for 

 his mistakes, for he has quoted various obscure authors; but it must be regretted 

 that he should not happen to draw from a single reliable source, not even 

 from my popular description, which was known to him. Mr. SUXD tells us of 

 the Egyptian influence in Easter Island, of the enormous foundation walls and 

 ruins of temples; almost every mountain had sculptured designs of goods, fishes 

 and pyramids, the cave paintings were in the Toltec or Egx^ptian style, etc. 

 There are 300 tablets with script on the island (if it were but true!), waiting 

 to be deciphered. On the mountain terraces are fortresses with walls up to 

 80 feet high. The pyramid is the architectonical principle, built as the Egj-ptian 

 one, even with the same kind of cement. All materials, bricks, glass, porcelain, 

 everything was known in Easter Island; religion, symbols and habits were the 

 same as in Egypt, only, the culture of the island was older. There are fan- 

 tastic groups of statues roundabout, gods of hard store with faces up to 25 

 feet high, in the highlands there are images on high stone pillars or staircase- 

 like foundations, and with square hats of stone, most of them covered with 

 script in a probably forgotten language. Round them are the remains of large 

 walls and buildings, so they probably stood in vast temple-yards. And so 

 forth. No wonder that Mr. SuND draws the most surprising conclusions. Now, 

 this must not be taken too seriously and will do no harm in scientific circles. 

 The general reader, however, will get a rather curious idea of Easter Island. 

 I dare say the place is remarkable enough in itself and need not be glorified 

 by such fantastic inventions. 



Finally, I wish to express my sincere gratitude for kind assistance to the 

 Commander and Officers of the »General Baquedano», to Bishop Rafael ED- 

 WARDS, Mr. Percy Edmunds, Mr. I. Vives and Baron Erland Nordenskiold. 



Explanation of Plate 14^. 



1. Stone adze, no. 19. i. 307; not quite V^- 



2. Stone chisel, no. 19. i. 520; almost ^/i. 

 5. » » no. 19. I. 321; » ^/i. 



4. Fishhook of stone, no. 19. i 325; ahnost ^/i. 



5. Stone ball, no. 19. i. 309, not quite nat. size. 



6. Knife or scrape? no. 19. i. 315, not quite nat. size. 



7. Spear-head, no. 19. i. 313, "^ja. 



8. » , no. 19. I. 311, ^/:i. 



The originals in the Museutn, Gothenburg. 



