Aku aku is about his year living and researching easter island and its enigmatic statues. The expedition to easter island in 195556 on a greenland trawler was really another opportunity for heyerdahl to test his theory that the first wave of immigrants to polynesia came via peru and easter island on balsa rafts. Sep 01, 2015 easter island is one of the most remote places in the world and acclaimed archaeologist thor heyerdahl spent much of his life investigating the mystery of the islands famed, ancient statues. But i have heard they exist in the minds of some people. Heyerdahl builds his case that two peoples, one from south america and one from.
These archives contain most manuscripts of the thirteen books on ocean voyages or culture history that he wrote, including the kontiki expedition. Nearly half are still at rano raraku, the main moai quarry, but hundreds were transported from there and set on stone platforms called ahu around the island s perimeter. In particular, heyerdahl obtained a radiocarbon date of 400 ad for a charcoal fire located in the pit that was held by the people of easter island to have been used as an oven by the long ears, which heyerdahl s rapa nui sources, reciting oral tradition, identified as a white race which had ruled the island in the past heyerdahl 1958. Kontiki is also the name of heyerdahl s book, the academy awardwinning documentary film chronicling his adventures. Easter island is one of the most remote places in the world and acclaimed archaeologist thor heyerdahl spent much of his life investigating the mystery of the island s famed, ancient statues. It traces the history of easter island s interaction with the outside world, from roggeveens visit in 1722 up to the time of the book s writing. The famous norwegian anthropologist thor heyerdahl led the first archaeological expedition to easter island. Heyerdahl s book the kontiki expedition has been translated into 70 languages, selling at least 100 million copies over the world thor heyerdahl used the earnings from his books and documentaries to finance further expeditions. The secret of easter island, was published in english in 1958. Akuaku tells of heyerdahls expedition to investigate the mysteries of easter island. Though evidence against his theory grew, kontiki sailor thor heyerdahl never. Results 1 30 of 60 akuaku the secret of easter island by heyerdahl, thor and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. His book about this adventure became an international hit.
The ethnographic evidence for these claims is outlined in heyerdahls book akuaku. As with heyerdahl s book about the voyage of kontiki, this book was also a best seller. In 1953, heyerdahl led an archaelogical expedition to the galapagos islands. Nov 16, 1989 this handsome volume is the story of thor heyerdahls love of a mysteryand of an island and its people. Nov 03, 2014 this book, published in 1989, is a distillation of thor heyerdahls research on easter island. Heyerdahl archives as they are found at the kontiki museum today. The secret of easter island by heyerdahl, thor paperback book the fast 2 akuaku. Thor heyerdahl books list of books by author thor heyerdahl. Protected daisy, accessible book, antiquities, description and travel, ethnology, kontiki ekspedisjonen 1947. Heyerdahl used the methods of anthropology and archaeology to scientifically corroborate the rapa nuis own story. Easter island, lonely outpost in the pacific, has long been a subject of speculation and bafflement to archaeologists and anthropologists.
The dramatic discovery of art treasures in secret caves. Norway to return easter island artifacts taken by thor. The kontiki expedition was a 1947 journey by raft across the pacific ocean from south america to the polynesian islands, led by norwegian explorer and writer thor heyerdahl. Thor heyerdahl biography, cognac, museum, quotes, spouse. Heyerdahl visited easter island in 1955 and 1956 as he tried to determine if the island had been originally colonized by people who sailed from south america across 2,000 miles of ocean. Thor heyerdahl project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Heyerdahls book about the 101day voyage in 1947, became an international bestseller and was translated into more than 60 languages. He has adduced further corroboration of his theory from the findings in the archaeology of easter island 1961. Easter island by thor heyerdahl meet your next favorite book.
The raft was named kontiki after the inca god viracocha, for whom kontiki was said to be an old name. The mystery solved by thor heyerdahl 1989, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. It does give insight into the island s fascinating history but unfortunately is also used as a base for heyerdahl to do some of his own hornblowing. Akuaku the secret of easter island by heyerdahl, thor and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Six men cross the pacific on a raft by thor heyerdahl 1951 hardcover book. Much of his evidence has now been refuted by archeologists. It does give insight into the islands fascinating history but unfortunately is also used as a base for heyerdahl to do some of his own hornblowing. Thor heyerdahl, whose theories about sources of racial strains and customs were put to a test to prove the possibility of a link between. Akuaku, the secret of easter island thor heyerdahl.
In his later years, heyerdahl excavated pyramids in peru and the canary islands. Easter island by thor heyerdahl, 9780285642836, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The secret of easter island by thor heyerdahl goodreads. Akuaku tells of heyerdahl s expedition to investigate the mysteries of easter island.
Thor heyerdahl as world heritage easter island foundation. Thus there is a lot of archeology in this book, and not necessarily the indiana jones thor heyerdahl is. More recently, heyerdahl was invited to return to easter island and there confronted the conundrum of the famous, haunting this handsome volume is the story of thor heyerdahls love of a mysteryand of an island and its people. Given the passage of time, it seems unfair to treat this book as a work of anthropological research. Oct 12, 2017 using rib bones from five easter island individuals from 1445 to 1945 that had been excavated in the 1980s and stored in the kontiki museum in norway, dr. His second book about that volcanic speck in the mid. American indians in the pacific thor heyerdahl no ocr. His bestselling book kontiki inspired a new generation of scholarsmany of. Thus there is a lot of archeology in this book, and not necessarily the indiana jones thor heyerdahl is an excellent story teller. The secret of easter island lj 9158, a popular account of his. Tiki people edit heyerdahl proposed that tikis neolithic people colonised the then uninhabited polynesian islands as far north as hawaii, as far south as new zealand, as far east as easter island, and as far west as samoa and tonga around 500 ad. This book, published in 1989, is a distillation of thor heyerdahls research on easter island. I made this pdf yesterday from scanned image files. This book provides solid evidence of european presence in precolumbian america.
The book describes the 19551956 norwegian archaeological expeditions investigations of polynesian history and culture at easter island, the austral islands of rapa iti and raivavae, and the marquesas islands of nuku hiva and hiva oa. Thor heyerdahl has 40 books on goodreads with 50003 ratings. I left out blank pages to save space and reduce filesize. Tiki people edit heyerdahl proposed that tikis neolithic people colonised the then uninhabited polynesian islands as far north as hawaii, as far south as new zealand, as far east as easter island, and as far west as samoa and. Quoting from the text of thor heyerdahls lecture to the swedish society of anthropology and geography, on the easter island statues, he says, at some unidentified date prior to ad 380, the first settlers landed on easter island, and found a verdant island covered by trees, shrubs, and palms.
Almost square copy with tanned pages, color plates are nice, some underlining in text, red or blue ink or pencil marks on many page margins in first half of book, creases to all cover corners, creases to upper corners. As with heyerdahls book about the voyage of kontiki, this book was also a best seller. Aku aku by thor heyerdahl, first edition abebooks passion for books. Akuaku, the secret of easter island describes thor heyerdahls research at. The mystery solved by thor heyerdahl, souvenir press, pp 256, pounds sterling 18. A search for the beginnings of navigation and seaborne civilizations 1979, in which he synthesized the findings of earlier expeditions and provided additional evidence for his theory of cultural diffusion. He pioneered the field of experimental archaeology when he sailed from south america to easter island. He subsequently led research expeditions to the maldive islands, to easter island, and to an archaeological site in peru. A thrilling, fully illustrated account of one of the greatest adventures by one of the 20th centurys most famous travelers, thor heyerdahl easter island is one of the most remote places in the world and acclaimed archaeologist thor heyerdahl spent much of his life investigating the mystery of the island s famed, ancient statues. A norwegian museum has agreed to return thousands of artifacts and human remains to easter island, after they were taken by explorer thor heyerdahl during two expeditions in. Share thor heyerdahl quotations about progress, war and reality. The secret of easter island by thor heyerdahl librarything. Quoting from the text of thor heyerdahl s lecture to the swedish society of anthropology and geography, on the easter island statues, he says, at some unidentified date prior to ad 380, the first settlers landed on easter island, and found a verdant island covered by trees, shrubs, and.
See more ideas about thor, adventure and easter island. The title of this book is somewhat redundant, for in 1955 heyerdahl made his first trip to easter island and wrote akuaku. Over thirty years ago, the man who did such important, pioneering work in kontiki wrote another bestselling book, akuaku, about easter island. For here with no explanation as to when they were made, or by whom or why, are great statues and strange sculptures. Akuaku, the secret of easter island heyerdahl, thor. See all books authored by thor heyerdahl, including kontiki ekspedisjonen, and akuaku. Kontiki by thor heyerdahl and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Thor heyerdahl osterinsel easter island 1954 youtube. This has most of the ingredients of an action adventure story an isolated island thousands of miles from anywhere else, secretive natives, ancient superstitions including the akuaku, hidden caves, mysteries to be solved, an. The secret of easter island, an imaginative, even fanciful, but engrossing yarn of secret caves and ghostly ceremonies, woven around the island s imposing. The story of the scientific expedition that uncovered the secret of easter island. The voyage was recorded in heyerdahl s book the tigris expedition 1979 and in a documentary film.
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