Joe and Dave,
In one of Heyerdahl's books that I read years ago, there was a section containing several tables and illustrations showing the similarities between the cultural artifacts of Siberian natives and the Indians of the Pacific Northwest. This would fit the generally accepted idea that North America was peopled by people migrating from Siberia during a break in the last ice age.
Heyerdahl was participating in an argument that was going on among cultural anthropoligists in those days. The Diffusionists claimed that ideas were developed in the Middle East and then spread slowly around the world via migrations and contacts between peoples. Things like the existence of pyramids in Africa, Asia, North and South America was one evidence. The Egyptian pyramids are the oldest.
The other side were known as the Independent Inventionists. They pointed out the absence of actual evidence of contact between many cultures. Cuneiform doesn't look anything like Maya glyphs, and the NA pyramids are all stepped and flat topped.
The discussion went on for decades. Now, however, DNA studies have pretty much shown the migration patterns. I have never read about how Heyerdahl's ideas have stood up to DNA evidence. The Book of Mormon sure hasn't fared very well.
Heyerdahl's sea voyages were made in order to prove that ancient peoples had regular contact with each other even accross great expanses of ocean. He sure demonstrated that it was possible. I think in the long run the diffusionists have won on some points, and the Independent Inventionists on others.
One thing I learned from Heyerdahl was not to believe the history books when their non-sailor authors tell us that ancient voyages were always made within sight of land. In pure sailing ships safety lies in getting away from the land in order to avoid being destroyed by a shift in wind direction. Samuel Elliot Morrison, a US Navy admiral, made sailing voyages retracing Columbus' journeys. He said the same thing.
Dave,
I read AKU AKU, but had forgotten it until you mentioned it. I remember thinking how neat it was that Heyerdahl had gotten close to the natives until they revealed things to him about their history and religion that they had kept secret from academics that visited the island. I wonder if the
Manu they assigned to him ever gave him any trouble?
Tom Maddux
