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The 4-toed (it's 4, not 3) statue was certainly the subject of a lot of discussion when it first appeared at the end of Season 2. I didn't participate in the discussion too much because in all honesty this is one thing that I really couldn't speculate on - a real stumper. It first appeared around the middle of the finale episode, while Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, and Michael were being taken to the Pali Ferry dock.

From what I have read since that episode, I can tell you that the producers said this was a clue as to the age of the Island and that there may have been lots of other different people there in the past. Statues like that (assuming the statue was once whole) don't get made by themselves, but by a considerable group effort. The style of the foot with an archaic-looking thong/sandal could indicate the age of the statue is as far back as the Greco-Roman era or even Atlantis if I dare to say the word.

As for the four toes? Scientists believe that we will lose our baby toes over time - through evolution. The four toes could mean there was once a more evolved civilization on the Island, or it could mean that there will be a more evolved civilization at some point in the future. This depends whether you're in the camp of people who believe that the Losties are either existing in the past or the future, or that time is continually changing around them while they remain immune to its effects in most regards.

The answer remains to be seen, but I do know the producers stated they were planning an episode that would go into detail about the history of the Island. I would love to see how they do an "Island Flashback" heh heh. This would include a glimpse of what DHARMA found when it came to the Island in the 70's, perhaps might include the famous "incident" referred to on the Blast Door Map and in the Swan Orientation film.

So, the short answer: who knows?