Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011
The 15 archipelagos of East Polynesia, including New Zealand, Hawaii, and Rapa Nui, were the last... more The 15 archipelagos of East Polynesia, including New Zealand, Hawaii, and Rapa Nui, were the last habitable places on earth colonized by prehistoric humans. The timing and pattern of this colonization event has been poorly resolved, with chronologies varying by >1000 y, precluding understanding of cultural change and ecological impacts on these pristine ecosystems. In a metaanalysis of 1,434 radiocarbon dates from the region, reliable short-lived samples reveal that the colonization of East Polynesia occurred in two distinct phases: earliest in the Society Islands A.D. ∼1025-1120, four centuries later than previously assumed; then after 70-265 y, dispersal continued in one major pulse to all remaining islands A.D. ∼1190-1290. We show that previously supported longer chronologies have relied upon radiocarbon-dated materials with large sources of error, making them unsuitable for precise dating of recent events. Our empirically based and dramatically shortened chronology for the colonization of East Polynesia resolves longstanding paradoxes and offers a robust explanation for the remarkable uniformity of East Polynesian culture, human biology, and language. Models of human colonization, ecological change and historical linguistics for the region now require substantial revision.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island) has become widely known as a case study of human-induced environmental c... more Rapa Nui (Easter Island) has become widely known as a case study of human-induced environmental catastrophe resulting in cultural collapse. The island's alleged "ecocide" is offered as a cautionary tale of our own environmental recklessness. The actual archaeological and historical record for the island reveals that while biodiver-sity loss unfolded, the ancient Polynesians persisted and succeeded. Demographic "collapse" came with epidemics of Old World diseases introduced by European visitors. In this paper, we outline the process of prehistoric landscape transformation that took place on Rapa Nui. This process includes the role of humans using fire to remove forest and convert to land for agricultural use as well as the impact of intro-duced rats (Rattus exulans) as agents that depressed recruitment of native vegeta-tion and contributed to the island's deforestation. For humans, the transformation of the landscape improved productivity. Burning of palms...
Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah ... more Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah L. Sterling. p. cm. -(Scientific archaeology for the Third Millennium, ISSN 1529-4439) fucludes bibliographical references and index.
Society for American Archaeology Annual Meeting, March, Mar 1, 1998
Prehistorians have long been interested in tracking the histories and migrations of past populati... more Prehistorians have long been interested in tracking the histories and migrations of past populations in a regional context. Phylogenetic reconstructions drawn largely from the methods and assumptions of historical linguistics have been a popular tool for achieving this goal, particularly among the island societies of the Pacific. Some scholars believe such reconstruction faithfully track population histories and reflect coherence in the evolution of human biology, language, and culture. In this paper, we examine the assumptions ...
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has become widely known as a case of ''ecocide,'' where the ancient Poly... more Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has become widely known as a case of ''ecocide,'' where the ancient Polynesians recklessly destroyed their environment and, as a consequence, suffered collapse. In recent publications, both popular and academic, scholars have promoted this perspective, drawing upon archaeological evidence and offering Rapa Nui as a parable for our current global crisis. In this paper we address recent claims and outline emerging archaeological and paleoenvironmental evidence. We consider chronology, causes and consequences of deforestation, agricultural strategies, statue transport, and the evidence for ancient population size and its demise. Although deforestation and ecological catastrophe certainly unfolded over the course of the island's prehistory, the ensuing demographic and cultural collapse followed European contact and resulted from the devastating effects of disease and slave trading. Deforestation and contact-induced demographic collapse were separated in time and causation. Finally, we offer alternative perspectives emerging from a variety of recent research.
We show how Easter Island statue variability is explained by transport in a vertical position ... more We show how Easter Island statue variability is explained by transport in a vertical position We 'walk' a precise road statue replica demonstrating how form enables vertical transport 'Walking' multi-ton statues did not require timber and could be accomplished by relatively small groups Abstract: Explaining how the monumental statues (moai) of Easter Island were transported has remained open to debate and speculation, including their resource expenditures and role in deforestation. Archaeological evidence including analysis of moai variability, particularly those abandoned along ancient roads, indicates transport was achieved in a vertical position. To test this proposition we constructed a precise three-dimensional 4.35 metric ton replica of an actual statue and demonstrate how positioning the center of mass allowed it to fall forward and rock from side to side causing it to 'walk.' Our experiments reveal how the statue form was engineered for efficient transport by a small number of individuals.
Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah ... more Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah L. Sterling. p. cm. -(Scientific archaeology for the Third Millennium, ISSN 1529-4439) fucludes bibliographical references and index.
High resolution satellite photographs offer a new picture of the tracks along which the Easter Is... more High resolution satellite photographs offer a new picture of the tracks along which the Easter Island giant statues were hauled from the central quarry to the exhibition sites. The survey traced 32 km of seven major roads, confirmed by features on the ground, where their current condition gives reasons for concern. The authors suggest that the radial pattern implies social division into small groups.
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has become widely known as a case of ''ecocide,'' where the ancient Poly... more Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has become widely known as a case of ''ecocide,'' where the ancient Polynesians recklessly destroyed their environment and, as a consequence, suffered collapse. In recent publications, both popular and academic, scholars have promoted this perspective, drawing upon archaeological evidence and offering Rapa Nui as a parable for our current global crisis. In this paper we address recent claims and outline emerging archaeological and paleoenvironmental evidence. We consider chronology, causes and consequences of deforestation, agricultural strategies, statue transport, and the evidence for ancient population size and its demise. Although deforestation and ecological catastrophe certainly unfolded over the course of the island's prehistory, the ensuing demographic and cultural collapse followed European contact and resulted from the devastating effects of disease and slave trading. Deforestation and contact-induced demographic collapse were separated in time and causation. Finally, we offer alternative perspectives emerging from a variety of recent research.
Nature is the international weekly journal of science: a magazine style journal that publishes fu... more Nature is the international weekly journal of science: a magazine style journal that publishes full-length research papers in all disciplines of science, as well as News and Views, reviews, news, features, commentaries, web focuses and more, covering all branches of science and ...
We assess 926 radiocarbon dates from Hawai'i Island, the largest assemblage of dates compiled fro... more We assess 926 radiocarbon dates from Hawai'i Island, the largest assemblage of dates compiled from a single island in Oceania. Based on a classificatory approach that arranges the dates based on their reliability, accuracy, and precision, our results indicate that the most reliable estimate for the initial Polynesian colonization of Hawai'i Island is AD 1220e1261, w250 to 450 years later than the current consensus. This conclusion is strikingly convergent with recent estimates for the colonization of remote East Polynesia. Our analysis highlights the need for wood charcoal identification to insure selection of short-lived plants/plant parts for radiocarbon dating, and that a reliance on dating unidentified wood charcoal is a waste of resources that only serves to retard progress in refining the settlement chronology of Hawai'i Island and other locations.
Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, has been the focus of much research and speculation, particularly wit... more Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, has been the focus of much research and speculation, particularly with reference to the island's hundreds of giant, enigmatic statues and the set of conditions that supported their construction and transportation. In this paper, we analyze an abundant class of lithic artifacts, mata'a, to study of patterns of cultural transmission with implications for the evolution of groups, competition, and scale of socio-political organization among this island population. While these kinds of studies often draw upon assemblages of decorated ceramics, here we show how analysis of variability unconstrained by performance allows us to measure aspects of inheritance related to the manufacture of these artifacts. In the case of mata'a from Rapa Nui, we demonstrate that it is possible to reach falsifiable conclusions about the evolutionary dynamics that shaped the remarkable archaeological record on Rapa Nui.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011
The 15 archipelagos of East Polynesia, including New Zealand, Hawaii, and Rapa Nui, were the last... more The 15 archipelagos of East Polynesia, including New Zealand, Hawaii, and Rapa Nui, were the last habitable places on earth colonized by prehistoric humans. The timing and pattern of this colonization event has been poorly resolved, with chronologies varying by >1000 y, precluding understanding of cultural change and ecological impacts on these pristine ecosystems. In a metaanalysis of 1,434 radiocarbon dates from the region, reliable short-lived samples reveal that the colonization of East Polynesia occurred in two distinct phases: earliest in the Society Islands A.D. ∼1025-1120, four centuries later than previously assumed; then after 70-265 y, dispersal continued in one major pulse to all remaining islands A.D. ∼1190-1290. We show that previously supported longer chronologies have relied upon radiocarbon-dated materials with large sources of error, making them unsuitable for precise dating of recent events. Our empirically based and dramatically shortened chronology for the colonization of East Polynesia resolves longstanding paradoxes and offers a robust explanation for the remarkable uniformity of East Polynesian culture, human biology, and language. Models of human colonization, ecological change and historical linguistics for the region now require substantial revision.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island) has become widely known as a case study of human-induced environmental c... more Rapa Nui (Easter Island) has become widely known as a case study of human-induced environmental catastrophe resulting in cultural collapse. The island's alleged "ecocide" is offered as a cautionary tale of our own environmental recklessness. The actual archaeological and historical record for the island reveals that while biodiver-sity loss unfolded, the ancient Polynesians persisted and succeeded. Demographic "collapse" came with epidemics of Old World diseases introduced by European visitors. In this paper, we outline the process of prehistoric landscape transformation that took place on Rapa Nui. This process includes the role of humans using fire to remove forest and convert to land for agricultural use as well as the impact of intro-duced rats (Rattus exulans) as agents that depressed recruitment of native vegeta-tion and contributed to the island's deforestation. For humans, the transformation of the landscape improved productivity. Burning of palms...
Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah ... more Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah L. Sterling. p. cm. -(Scientific archaeology for the Third Millennium, ISSN 1529-4439) fucludes bibliographical references and index.
Society for American Archaeology Annual Meeting, March, Mar 1, 1998
Prehistorians have long been interested in tracking the histories and migrations of past populati... more Prehistorians have long been interested in tracking the histories and migrations of past populations in a regional context. Phylogenetic reconstructions drawn largely from the methods and assumptions of historical linguistics have been a popular tool for achieving this goal, particularly among the island societies of the Pacific. Some scholars believe such reconstruction faithfully track population histories and reflect coherence in the evolution of human biology, language, and culture. In this paper, we examine the assumptions ...
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has become widely known as a case of ''ecocide,'' where the ancient Poly... more Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has become widely known as a case of ''ecocide,'' where the ancient Polynesians recklessly destroyed their environment and, as a consequence, suffered collapse. In recent publications, both popular and academic, scholars have promoted this perspective, drawing upon archaeological evidence and offering Rapa Nui as a parable for our current global crisis. In this paper we address recent claims and outline emerging archaeological and paleoenvironmental evidence. We consider chronology, causes and consequences of deforestation, agricultural strategies, statue transport, and the evidence for ancient population size and its demise. Although deforestation and ecological catastrophe certainly unfolded over the course of the island's prehistory, the ensuing demographic and cultural collapse followed European contact and resulted from the devastating effects of disease and slave trading. Deforestation and contact-induced demographic collapse were separated in time and causation. Finally, we offer alternative perspectives emerging from a variety of recent research.
We show how Easter Island statue variability is explained by transport in a vertical position ... more We show how Easter Island statue variability is explained by transport in a vertical position We 'walk' a precise road statue replica demonstrating how form enables vertical transport 'Walking' multi-ton statues did not require timber and could be accomplished by relatively small groups Abstract: Explaining how the monumental statues (moai) of Easter Island were transported has remained open to debate and speculation, including their resource expenditures and role in deforestation. Archaeological evidence including analysis of moai variability, particularly those abandoned along ancient roads, indicates transport was achieved in a vertical position. To test this proposition we constructed a precise three-dimensional 4.35 metric ton replica of an actual statue and demonstrate how positioning the center of mass allowed it to fall forward and rock from side to side causing it to 'walk.' Our experiments reveal how the statue form was engineered for efficient transport by a small number of individuals.
Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah ... more Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah L. Sterling. p. cm. -(Scientific archaeology for the Third Millennium, ISSN 1529-4439) fucludes bibliographical references and index.
High resolution satellite photographs offer a new picture of the tracks along which the Easter Is... more High resolution satellite photographs offer a new picture of the tracks along which the Easter Island giant statues were hauled from the central quarry to the exhibition sites. The survey traced 32 km of seven major roads, confirmed by features on the ground, where their current condition gives reasons for concern. The authors suggest that the radial pattern implies social division into small groups.
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has become widely known as a case of ''ecocide,'' where the ancient Poly... more Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has become widely known as a case of ''ecocide,'' where the ancient Polynesians recklessly destroyed their environment and, as a consequence, suffered collapse. In recent publications, both popular and academic, scholars have promoted this perspective, drawing upon archaeological evidence and offering Rapa Nui as a parable for our current global crisis. In this paper we address recent claims and outline emerging archaeological and paleoenvironmental evidence. We consider chronology, causes and consequences of deforestation, agricultural strategies, statue transport, and the evidence for ancient population size and its demise. Although deforestation and ecological catastrophe certainly unfolded over the course of the island's prehistory, the ensuing demographic and cultural collapse followed European contact and resulted from the devastating effects of disease and slave trading. Deforestation and contact-induced demographic collapse were separated in time and causation. Finally, we offer alternative perspectives emerging from a variety of recent research.
Nature is the international weekly journal of science: a magazine style journal that publishes fu... more Nature is the international weekly journal of science: a magazine style journal that publishes full-length research papers in all disciplines of science, as well as News and Views, reviews, news, features, commentaries, web focuses and more, covering all branches of science and ...
We assess 926 radiocarbon dates from Hawai'i Island, the largest assemblage of dates compiled fro... more We assess 926 radiocarbon dates from Hawai'i Island, the largest assemblage of dates compiled from a single island in Oceania. Based on a classificatory approach that arranges the dates based on their reliability, accuracy, and precision, our results indicate that the most reliable estimate for the initial Polynesian colonization of Hawai'i Island is AD 1220e1261, w250 to 450 years later than the current consensus. This conclusion is strikingly convergent with recent estimates for the colonization of remote East Polynesia. Our analysis highlights the need for wood charcoal identification to insure selection of short-lived plants/plant parts for radiocarbon dating, and that a reliance on dating unidentified wood charcoal is a waste of resources that only serves to retard progress in refining the settlement chronology of Hawai'i Island and other locations.
Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, has been the focus of much research and speculation, particularly wit... more Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, has been the focus of much research and speculation, particularly with reference to the island's hundreds of giant, enigmatic statues and the set of conditions that supported their construction and transportation. In this paper, we analyze an abundant class of lithic artifacts, mata'a, to study of patterns of cultural transmission with implications for the evolution of groups, competition, and scale of socio-political organization among this island population. While these kinds of studies often draw upon assemblages of decorated ceramics, here we show how analysis of variability unconstrained by performance allows us to measure aspects of inheritance related to the manufacture of these artifacts. In the case of mata'a from Rapa Nui, we demonstrate that it is possible to reach falsifiable conclusions about the evolutionary dynamics that shaped the remarkable archaeological record on Rapa Nui.
Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah ... more Posing questions Jor a scientific archaeology I edited by Terry L. Hunt; Carl P. Lipo, and Sarah L. Sterling. p. cm. -(Scientific archaeology for the Third Millennium, ISSN 1529-4439) fucludes bibliographical references and index.
Seriation is a long-standing archaeological method for relative dating that has proven effective ... more Seriation is a long-standing archaeological method for relative dating that has proven effective in probing regional-scale patterns of inheritance, social networks , and cultural contact in their full spatiotemporal context. The orderings produced by seriation are produced by the continuity of class distributions and uni-modality of class frequencies, properties that are related to social learning and transmission models studied by evolutionary archaeologists. Linking seriation to social learning and transmission enables one to consider ordering principles beyond the classic unimodal curve. Unimodality is a highly visible property that can be used to probe and measure the relationships between assemblages, and it was especially useful when seriation was accomplished with simple algorithms and manual effort. With modern algorithms and computing power, multiple ordering principles can be employed to better understand the spatiotemporal relations between assemblages. Ultimately, the expansion of seriation to additional ordering algorithms allows us an ability to more thoroughly explore underlying models of cultural contact, social networks, and modes of social learning. In this paper, we review our progress to date in extending seriation to multiple ordering algorithms, with examples from Eastern
Almost by definition, bpopular cultureQ reflects the effects of most people imitating those aroun... more Almost by definition, bpopular cultureQ reflects the effects of most people imitating those around them. At the same time, trends and fashions are constantly changing, with future outcomes potentially irrational and nearly impossible to predict. A simple null model, which captures these seemingly conflicting tendencies of conformity and change, involves the random copying of cultural variants between individuals, with occasional innovation. Here, we show that the random-copying model predicts a continual flux of initially obscure new ideas (analogous to mutations) becoming highly popular by chance alone, such that the turnover rate on a list of most popular variants depends on the list size and the amount of innovation but not on population size. We also present evidence for remarkably regular turnover on bpop chartsQ—including the most popular music, first names, and dog breeds in 20th-century United States—which fits this expectation. By predicting parametric effects on the turnover of popular fashion, the random-copying model provides an additional means of characterizing collective copying behavior in culture evolution.
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