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An Isochrone Map of the Prehistoric Seascape around S amoa
Author(s) -
DI PIAZZA ANNE
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geographical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.695
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-5871
pISSN - 1745-5863
DOI - 10.1111/1745-5871.12037
Subject(s) - seascape , settlement (finance) , prehistory , geography , displacement (psychology) , archaeology , computer science , habitat , ecology , world wide web , payment , psychotherapist , biology , psychology
This paper presents a new geometry of the western Pacific based on an analysis of the time necessary for canoes to sail to islands around S amoa. Using methods proposed by F rancis G alton in 1866 and 1881, updated by a computer simulation of sailing trajectories, the author demonstrates the existence of a navigational threshold east of S amoa through systematic ‘displacement’ of islands according to sailing time in winter and summer – a threshold that helps explain the ca 2000 year pause between the L apita era settlement of M elanesia– W est Polynesia and the settlement of E ast P olynesia.