Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 304
Trim: 8¾ x 9
978-1-4422-6655-1 • Hardback • September 2017 • $64.00 • (£49.00)
978-1-5381-2978-4 • Paperback • May 2019 • $40.00 • (£31.00)
978-1-4422-6656-8 • eBook • September 2017 • $38.00 • (£29.00)
Paul Bahn, PhD, devotes his time to writing, editing, and translating books on archaeology, and he has a key research interest in prehistoric art as well as the archaeology of Easter Island. His numerous publications include The Archaeology of Hollywood and Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice (with Colin Renfrew). He also serves as editor of Archaeology Hotspots, a series with Rowman & Littlefield of general-interest books exploring the archaeological history of particular countries around the world.
John Flenley is emeritus professor of geography at Massey University, University of New Zealand.
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
Presents the latest archaeological and environmental evidence concerning what happened during the island’s prehistory
Features the first use of phytoliths as evidence of early horticulture on the island
Incorporates combined pollen evidence from three sites at different altitudes on the island; no other island in Polynesia has provided this type of combined evidence
Brings attention to the potential consequences of “ecocide” at a time when our civilization is at risk from human-induced climate change
Addresses views and research both supportive of and in conflict with the authors’ own perspectives, providing a broad consideration of what we know about this fascinating location and society