In "This Place is Death," Locke is lowering himself down the well when another time flash happens. Sawyer grabs the rope and has his hands on it when the flash happens. We've seen that anything they are touching goes with them to the new time. We see the rope goes with them to a time before the well, and the orchid are built.
How much ever time later, some Dharma person is taking a stroll around the island and notices this rope buried in the ground. Dharma decides to dig a hole to find where the rope goes and eventually they discover the donkey wheel. They build a well to the donkey wheel, and eventually, the orchid.
The implications: The only reason the Losties time travel in the first place was because their actions after they started travling led to the discovery of the donkey wheel and the ability to time travel. Theory by David3
How much ever time later, some Dharma person is taking a stroll around the island and notices this rope buried in the ground. Dharma decides to dig a hole to find where the rope goes and eventually they discover the donkey wheel. They build a well to the donkey wheel, and eventually, the orchid.
The implications: The only reason the Losties time travel in the first place was because their actions after they started travling led to the discovery of the donkey wheel and the ability to time travel. Theory by David3
