[Rob G.]

I'm thinking Smokey.  Smokey was a man; somehow through magic he gained fantastic smoke monster powers and wreaked havoc in his home country (Egypt possibly?).  The island was created--- or, if already there--- endowed with the power to always move through time and space so that no matter what he tried, the smoke monster could not leave.  It was a prison, created by some magus (Jacob?) because they couldn't kill Smokey, but they could contain him on an island if it was always moving through time.

Maybe one very obvious clue has been there all along--- Australia.  Australia is an island that the British sent their prisoners to.

[E gratis?]

I say the island. The earth has been around way longer than any humans and their 'god' stories.

[Peel]

I'd say the island too, I picture Egyptians coming across it by 'chance', just like I figure the Black Rock and DHARMA did, and realising this is no ordinary place. I can't imagine it being created tbh.

[tipper]

I'd agree w/ the island.  Eventually, certain individuals became aware of its uniqueness, and then, became aware of their own special attributes, so a pattern developed of bringing the chosen ones to the island.

I can't imagine it being created tbh.

Peel, you've touched on one of my favorite acronyms (ok, not really an acronym).  In this case, do you mean "to be honest" or "trash bag ho"?