Rethinking the Fall of Easter Island [ Jared Diamond refuted ]

American Scientist ^ | September-October 2006 (issue) | Terry L. Hunt

[SunkenCiv]

The oldest dates were only about 800 years old, implying that occupation began around 1200 A.D. The dates from layers closer to the surface were progressively younger, which is inconsistent with the possibility that somehow our samples were contaminated with modern carbon. There was really no way to explain these numbers, at least not within the conventional model of Rapa Nui's development... Lipo and I took a closer look at the evidence for earlier human settlement. We evaluated 45 previously published radiocarbon dates indicating human presence more than 750 years ago using a "chronometric hygiene" protocol. We rejected dates measured from unreliable sources, such as marine organisms, which require corrections for the older carbon from the marine environment. We also rejected single dates that were not confirmed by a second date from the same archaeological context. Using only paired dates helps ensure the reliability of the data. Our standards were more inclusive than those used by Anderson in his study of New Zealand, but we still were left with only nine acceptable dates. With this culling, the evidence for first occupation around 800 A.D. simply fell apart.

[SunkenCiv]

Naturally, some Heyerdahl bashing can be seen here. Also, the entire paper is mostly a distinction without a difference.

[SunkenCiv]

The Ends of the World as We Know Them
NY Times | January 1, 2005 | JARED DIAMOND
Posted on 01/01/2005 1:17:55 AM EST by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1311929/posts

Groundbreaking Research Sheds Light On Ancient Mystery (Easter Island)
Rochester Instityute Of Technology | 8-31-2005 | Will Dube
Posted on 09/19/2005 7:36:30 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1487600/posts

[SunkenCiv]

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[paudio]

ping for later

[denydenydeny]

Diamond is full of anti-Western bias, among other things.

[Ciexyz]

Rapa Nui bump.

[Interesting Times]

Easter Island ping...

[yankeedame]

Diamond is full of anti-Western bias, among other things.

Amen! It amazes me how he rates all this kiss-kiss-kiss treatment...unless, of coure, b/c he is full of anti-Western bias, among other things.

[zot]

Thanks for the ping. His radiocarbon dating the earliest human habitation to about 1200 AD seems to be sound. And I can believe his finding that a population explosion rats eating seeds was the main cause of deforestation.

[SunkenCiv]

It's right next to Rapa Oldie.

[Fred Nerks]

Native Balsa Raft Sketch by F.E. Paris (1841) showing construction of a native balsa raft from the north-west coast of South America. The maximum length of raft is 80-90 feet, maximum width of a raft is 25-30 feet with a freight capacity of 20-25 tons.

Searoutes to Polynesia:

http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/thor/

Stone technology on Easter Island:

http://www.mysteriousplaces.com/Easter_Island/html/tour3.html

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks. You've got a knack for finding relevant graphics.

[Fred Nerks]

The last of the Long Ears?

Drawings of an Easter Island man and woman as depicted by an artist from the Captain Cook expedition.

(Garcilaso de la Vega, RC, p.55: "as well as being shaven, they had their ears pierced, as women usually do for earrrings, but they expanded the hole artifically...to a remarkable size which would be incredible to one who had seen it, for one would think it impossible for so small a quantity of flesh as the lobe of the ear to be stretched until it could take a loop the size and shape of the stopper of a jar, for the ear ornaments that they put in the loops they made in their ears were like plugs for pitchers. If the loops happened to break, they hung a quarter of a vara in length and half a finger in thickness. Because of this the Spanish called the Indians 'Big-Ears' (orejones.)

Some speculation:

http://home.earthlink.net/~rnisbet/nazcaridge3.JPG

[Fred Nerks]

whoops!

http://home.earthlink.net/~rnisbet/spec.html

[SunkenCiv]

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