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University Report
Air Date: April 3, 1997Contact: Barry Rolett, (808) 956-7546
Dating Marquesan Monuments and Voyaging
At some point in prehistory, Marquesan society moved from very small population groups to more complex chiefdoms. This transition in social structure made it possible for Marquesans to erect large, beautiful monuments.
University of Hawai'i anthropologist Barry Rolett is trying to date the transition in social structure by determining the age of the monuments.
Rolett is also interested in voyaging history. He has worked with UH geologist John Sinton to match the chemical content of stone tools with rock samples from various islands. Their work proves that early trading took place between the islands.
Rolett wants to see if the decline of voyaging occurred about the same time that the monuments were built.
Rolett has studied the Marquesas Islands for 15 years. He says Hawai'i has a natural interest in French Polynesia since Marquesas was probably the homeland from which Hawai'i was settled.
This is the University Report, I'm Tracy Orillo Donovan.
