Easter Island, isolated deep in the South Pacific and now a World Heritage Site, was home to a fascinating prehistoric culture—one that produced massive stone effigies (the moai) and the birdman cult—and yet much of the island’s past remains shrouded in mystery. Where did the islanders come from, and when? How did Rapa Nui culture evolve over the centuries? How, and why, did their natural environment change over time?
Paul Bahn and John Flenley guide readers through the mysteries and enigmas of Rapa Nui, incorporating the records of early explorers, folk legends, and archaeological evidence along the way. They cover the island’s geological and environmental history and explore its flora and fauna, illustrating how human actions affected the natural environment of the island. This fourth edition draws in: recent DNA studies of ancient human and animal bones as well as plant remains; evolving understandings of how the moai were transported; and current efforts to reforest the island.
Les mer
In this account of Easter Island, Bahn and Flenley explore the archaeology, history, and legends surrounding the fascinating prehistoric culture that called this remote volcanic island home.
Preface
Introduction: European Discovery
1: The Island and its Geography
Part I: The Original "Boat People"
2: Where Did They Come From? East or West?
3: How Did They Get There, and Why?
4: Living on an Island
Part II: Ancestors of Stone: A Petrified Dream
5: Statues and Ceremonies
6: The Riddle of the Quarry
7: Rocking or Rolling: How Were the Statues Moved?
8: Platforms and Pukao: Errecting the Statues
Part III: The Aftermath
9: Crash Go The Ancestors
10: Orongo and Rongo Rongo
11: The Island That Self-Destructed
12: The Last Enigma
Les mer
Presents the latest archaeological and environmental evidence concerning what happened during the island’s prehistory
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781442266551
Publisert
2017-09-01
Utgave
4. utgave
Utgiver
Vendor
Rowman & Littlefield
Vekt
839 gr
Høyde
226 mm
Bredde
222 mm
Dybde
24 mm
Aldersnivå
G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
304