5 Civilizations That Mysteriously Disappeared

History is full of loose ends. There are countless cultures and civilizations that disappear with little trace of where they went or what happened to them. That is the all-to-often story of humanity.

While this list could consist of hundreds of lost civilizations, I wanted to gather the top five that piqued my interest (and hopefully yours too).

1. Rapa Nui

The Rapa Nui of Easter Island are famous for their enduring statues of their ancestors, the Moai.

Descendant from the Marquesas Islands, the Rapa Nui were expert way finders who navigated across the Pacific Ocean.

As mentioned, the Moai were seen as representations of their ancestors. Different factions across the island would compete to create bigger and better statues. This resulted in over 1,000 Moai being carved across the island.

Archaeologists have theorized that the competition over resources between different factions led to ecocide. After which

their society fell into a downward spiral of warfare, cannibalism, and population decline.

However, new research, albeit still in progress, asserts that the Rapa Nui lasted much longer than initially believed and that their collapse came after Europeans brought diseases and the slave trade to the isolated island.

Whatever true fate befell the mysterious sculptors, their legacy lives on through their Moai and their descendants who carry on their cultural traditions.

2. The Minoans

Characterized by their vibrant colors and fun-loving culture, the Minoans provide a contrast to many of the other civilizations of the Bronze Age.

This Aegean civilization importantly influenced the cultures of the Mycenaeans and early Ancient Greeks. This is reflected through…