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Polynesian Seafaring and American Horizons: A Response to Jones and Klar

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Atholl Anderson
Atholl Anderson*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Natural History, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia ([email protected])
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Abstract

The hypothesis presented by Jones and Klar (2005) that elements of prehistoric Chumash technology and language arrived from East Polynesia is considered. Trans-oceanic diffusion in general should not be rejected out of hand, but in this case it is improbable that it involved East Polynesia. There are substantial differences in the sewn-plank canoes at issue and the compound hooks are of a general form that is not confined to Polynesia. The chronology of East Polynesian colonization is probably too late for diffusion to southern California before A.D. 700. East Polynesian seafaring may have been inadequate to reach the Californian coast. If the explanation is diffusionary, then a source in East Asia is more plausible.

Résumé

Résumé

En este trabajo se considera la hipótesis presentado por Jones y Klar (2005) de que elementos prehistóricos tecnológicos y lingüísticos de los Chumash llegaron desde Polinesia. En general, la difusión cultural transoceánica no siempre debe ser rechazada, pero en este caso es poco probable que las influencias sobre la cultura Chumash incluyeran Polinesia del Este. Es importante reconocer las diferencias entre las canoas de tablón-cosido, y que los anzuelos compuestos de dos piezas son de una forma no exclusiva a Polinesia. La cronología de colonización de Polinesia probablemente es demasiado tardía para una difusión a California antes de 700 A.D. Además, la tradición marítima de Polinesia puede no haber sido adecuada para llegar a la costa de California meridional. Si la difusión explica la aparición de canoas de tablón-cosido y anzuelos de dos piezas en California, su origen en la zona del Este de Asia es más probable.

Type
Comments
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 71 , Issue 4 , October 2006 , pp. 759 - 763
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 2006

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References

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