Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Island Foundation Volume 11 Article 4 Issue 2 June 1997

1997 Origins: Implications of Osteological Findings George W. Gill

Sonia Haoa C.

Douglas W. Owsley

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Recommended Citation Gill, George W.; Haoa C., Sonia; and Owsley, Douglas W. (1997) "Easter Island Origins: Implications of Osteological Findings," Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation: Vol. 11 : Iss. 2 , Article 4. Available at: https://kahualike.manoa.hawaii.edu/rnj/vol11/iss2/4

This Research Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the University of Hawai`i Press at Kahualike. It has been accepted for inclusion in Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation by an authorized editor of Kahualike. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Gill et al.: Easter Island Origins: Implications of Osteological Findings Easter Island Origins: Implications of Osteological Findings

George W Gill, Sonia Haoa C, and Douglas W Owsley

Introduction Table I A primary objective of the 1981 Easter Island Craniometric Comparisons Male Means Anthropological Expedition I was to acquire a well­ documented sample of prehistoric Easter Island skele­ tons, to collect craniofacial metrics and to record obser­ HAWAl'1 EASTER ISLAND MARQUESAS ARIKARA vations of nonmetric characteristics (as well as some Howells Snow Gill & Owsley Pietrusewsky Bass 1974 data on postcranial traits) that would make possible a 1973 1993 1976 1964 thorough study of population affinities. The 1981 expe­ MAXLG ill ill 191 191 179 dition was highly successful with regard to both the MAXBR 138 ill 134 139 ill archaeological recovery of well-documented human skeletons and a concurrent field analysis of osteological BAS BR ill 143 144 142 ill remains (Gill, Owsley, and Baker 1983; Gill 1986a). BIZ BR 135 138 136 137 140 During the six-month field season in 1981, plus an FAC HT (71 ) 72 70 73 75 earlier brief archaeological field season in 1979,2 and a few short field laboratory sessions between 1981 and 1991,3 recovery, curation, full osteometric data collec- Table 2 tion and a complete inventory of skeletal pathology Craniometric Comparisons Female Means were accomplished on a sample of 426 prehistoric and protohistoric skeletons. Analysis of another 110 Easter PERUE HAWAl'1 EASTER ISLAND MARQUESAS ARlKARA Island skeletons from other museums in North and South Howells Snow Gill & Owsley Pietrusewsky Howells America was also accomplished during that same period 1973 1974 1993 1976 1973 (Gill and Owsley 1993; Owsley, Gill and Ousley 1994). MAXLG ill ill 181 177 171 Even though a total sample of 536 skeletons was exam­ ined for this study, the total number of adult Easter MAXBR ill ill 131 133 ill Island crania sufficiently well preserved to be utilized in BAS BR ill 137 137 ill ill the metric examination is, of course, considerably less (n=105). Radiocarbon dates were obtained from the BIZ BR 126 129 126 125 131 human bone from ten sites following the 1981 field FAC HT (67) 68 65 65 ill.) season. Numerous obsidian hydration dates were also obtained from burial tombs and caves. Dates range from the Middle Period, through the Late Prehistoric and a few into exception of Pietrusewsky's Marquesas' adult cranial sample the Protohistoric Period. Since a few are post-contact, careful (n=17). metric analyses were conducted on all 105 adult crania to test For these tables, we cho e a sampling of our more impor­ for possible admixture. Only one cranium shows indications tant craniofacial dimensions and compared them to the same of recent non-Polynesian admixture (Owsley, Gill and Ousley metric from two other Polynesian populations and to 1994). Amerindian samples (one South American and one North American). Underlined values indicate population means that Background Studies differ by more than 5mm from the comparable variable from Six craniometric studies of Easter Islanders have been our Easter Island sample. As the tables show, only one popu­ completed since the end of the 1981 field season (Gill, lation, the one from the Marque a Islands, matches closely Owsley and Baker 1993; Gill 1986a; Gill and Owsley 1993; the Easter Island population sample. This conclusion re ults Owsley, Gill and Ousley 1994; Gill n.d.; Baker and Gill (this from viewing a wide variety of samples from throughout the volume). Even though all of these are preliminary, some Pacific and the Americas and using a much fuller set of conclusions can already be drawn regarding the origins of the measurements.From all preliminary osteological analy is it is prehistoric Rapa Nui. Tables 1 and 2, though involving only clear that the prehistoric Easter Islanders represent an East five of our 92 measurements, provide a general impression of Polynesian population closely related to the Marquesas Is­ the findings from these preliminary osteometric studies. landers. Such a conclusion does not preclude a small genetic The five variables illustrated in Tables 1 and 2 are: contribution from one or more additional population . With maximum cranial length, maximum cranial breadth, basion­ this in mind, a decision was made at the end of the 1981 field bregma height, bizygomatic breadth and facial height (nasion­ season to collect osteological data on two South American alveolare). Our Easter Island sample listed here (altered Indian skeletal series from Peru. The objective was to eventu­ slightly from Gill and Owsley 1993) is based upon 105 ally examine the Easter Island population for a possible measurable adult crania. Most of the other sample sizes from element of Amerindian trait. Should the thinking of Heyerdahl the other populations are smaller but adequate (with the (1968, 1989) be even partly correct, such a contribution

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hould be detectable. Scott J. Baker was di patched from the 1981 Easter Island Anthropological Expedition in June of that year to Lima, Peru. He wa able to obtain nonmetric trait observations on two large Peruvian sample which were appropriate to our tudy. Craniometric were not deemed useful from the e Peruvian serie becau e all crania had been subjected to artificial deformation. Since the e keletal sene are de cribed el ewhere (Chapman and Gill, thi volume), nothing more A B regarding ample compo ition need be stated here. In an initial unpublished tudy in 1982, Baker compared Ea ter Island and Peruvian di crete traits. A few parallel were Figure 1. A Polynesian rocker jaw (B) from the Marquesas ob erved, which surpri ed us at the time, since our metric Islands, and a non-rocker mandible (A) from a Plains Indian. Both are casts of original specimens from the American Museum of LUdie were already under way and clearly revealed an East Natural History, ew York (8) and the University of Wyoming PolyneSIan craniometric profile. Human Osteology Collections (A). This line of inquiry was not pursued further until the 1987-88 field season with the Kon Tiki Expedition to Ea ter I land when one of us (GWG) conducted a study of Easter a few other discriminating characteristics. Island rocker jaws. This study wa then extended to additional Since the human osteology research focus at the Univer­ Rapa Nui skeletal samples at the National Museum of Natural sity of Wyoming has for many years been the skeletal attribu­ Hi tory, Santiago, , and the American Museum of Natu­ tion of race, with particular emphasis on the traits that charac­ ral Hi tory, New York. Re ult were subsequently publi hed terize Amerindian populations (Gill 1986; Gill et al. 1988; (Gill 1990). Table 3 i from that published report. Gilbert and Gill 1990; Gill and Rhine 1990; Gill 1995), and with the availability of such a large quantity of both Peruvian Table 3 and Easter Island skeletal data the University of Wyoming ROCKER JAWS appeared to be the "ideal habitat" for Chapman's study on Rapa Nui-Peruvian compari ons and contrasts. In fact, at this Polynesian Islands Percentage Rocker Jaws time all current editions of the standard textbooks in forensic Hawai'i (Snow) 80.0 I anthropology and general human osteology present method ew Zealand (Houghton) 72.6 for the skeletal attribution of race that have been developed at (Pietrusewsky) 76.4 the University of Wyoming (e.g., Bass 1995:93-97; Krogman Easter Island (Gill) 48.5 and I can 1986:75-77; Rathburn and Buikstra 1984:329-339; Marquesas 90.0 Reich 1986:143-159; Steele and Bramblett 1988:60-61 and White 1990:328-339). The Easter Island rocker jaw frequency of 48.5 is sur­ Many traits that have been examined in recent studies by prisingly low for a Polynesian population. Conclusions at the us and by Chapman are, as would be expected, common to time of analysis were that the low frequency could be ac­ both and Amerindians. These have obviously counted for by either Founder Effect or the infusion of a been of less interest than those that appear to differ radically non-Polynesian population element into the otherwise basi­ between indigenous Americans and Polynesians. Primary cally East Polynesian population. This could thus provide the nece sary genetic "dilution" to lower the frequency from the expected 750ft or more.

Recent Findings Other evidence for a non-Polynesian (possibly South American) population element were sufficient (from Baker's 1982 study) to encourage a more thorough comparison with the Peruvian skeletal data retrieved from the field in 1981. Till effort was undertaken recently as part of a University of Wyoming Ma ters Thesis project (Chapman 1993; Chapman and Gill, this volume). Chapman has looked at all di crete trait A .. data from the University of Wyoming files from Easter Island and Peru, as well as all data on nondiscrete, continuous non Figure 2. Posterior cranial views showing a separate Inca bone metric traits from those same populations. Since this informa­ (B) which constitutes the superior aspect of the squamous of the tion is covered in detail elsewhere, it should suffice here to occipital bone on some individuals (mostly Andean Indians). The much more common add only that a particular focu wa developed in Chapman's condition in Homo sapiens is a squamous region of the study. Attention was directed toward trait that differ radically occipital without the separate Inca bone (A). between Amerindians and Polynesians, such as palate form, zygomaticomaxillary suture form, Inca bone frequencies, and https://kahualike.manoa.hawaii.edu/rnj/vol11/iss2/4Rapa Nui Journal 65 Vol II (2) June 1997 2 Gill et al.: Easter Island Origins: Implications of Osteological Findings

among these, as suggested earlier, are the frequencies of (Figure 2). Inca bones Inca Bone rocker jaw, Inca bone, shape of the zygomaticomaxillary are more common Regional Frequencies suture, and form of the palate (maxillary aveolus). among South Ameri- can Indians, particu- 10% i-p.~rc:.:.n~l-.:..p~r.:.:s.::.:nl --, larly in the Andean Figure 3. Zygomatico­ area, than elsewhere maxillary suture shapes as in the world. rust described by Martin­ 3. Zygomatico- dale. The "angled" form (A) is common among maxillary suture 6% Amerindians and other form. American Indi­ Mongoloid populations, ans usually show a while the "curved" fonn widely flaring form to '% (B) is more common the zygomaticomaxil­ among Polynesians and lary suture, while 2% Whites. Arrows indicate Whites and Polyne- the points at which the sians tend to show a widest diameter is ob­ curved form. Figure 3 0% L-__ tained (from Gill 1986b) North N[ South sw West depicts these two Region forms of suture. 4. Palate shape. Figure 5. Inca bone frequencies on A brief explanation of these four physical traits might be The shape of the Easter Island by region (from Chap­ of value to non osteologists. Basically, these four characteris­ maxillary alveolus, or man 1993) tics can be defined as follows: tooth-bearing ridge of 1. Rocker Jaw. The rocker mandible is a jawbone that is the upper jaw, differs between individuals. Also the frequen­ convex along the inferior margin of the horizontal ramus cies of the three main shapes (parabolic, elliptic and hyper­ instead of concave, as is the common human condition. Figure bolic) differ by race. Figure 4 illustrates the three forms of the 1 illustrates a Polynesian rocker jaw of a male Marquesan human palate. compared to a non rocker mandible of a male American Most human population have a very low frequency of Indian from the Northwestern Plains of North America. A true rocker jaws, or actually no occurrence at all. Therefore the rocker mandible actually rocks back and forth on a smooth fact that mo t Polynesian populations reveal a frequency from surface. The normal mandible will not rock because, as tated 72.6% to 90% has been considered important. In fact, the by Houghton (1977:365), "Mo t mandibles of Homo Sapiens rocker jaw has virtually become the hallmark of Polynesian rest tably on a plane surface. touching it on each ide along ancestry among human osteologists. Our own study (Gill the lower border of the body and at the prominent angular 1990) find the prehistoric Easter Island population to cer­ process, with the two points of contact separated by the tainly be basically Polynesian, regarding the number of rocker antegonial notch." The antegonia] notch is a concave area just jaws. However, with a frequency of only 48.5%, the Ea ter anterior to the notch of the jaw. No antegonial angle is found I land sample reveals the lowest incidence in all . on the rocker form of mandible, but rather a continuous ]nca bones are virtually absent among Polyne ians but convex curve exists along the entire inferior margin. Environ­ can reach frequencies of 30% among ancient Peruvians. A mental factors do not affect rocker jaw development, but illustrated in Figure 5, a few Inca bones have been ob erved rather growth changes during the period of maturation of most among Ea ter Island skeletons, at least from one site area. Polynesians (and a small percentage of non-Polynesians who Approximately 85% of North American Indians, at lea t also show this mandibular form). from the Plains and Southwest region of North America, 2. Inca bone. The Inca bone is a large separate area of show an "angled" form to the zygomaticomaxillary uture o sification within the squamo al portion of the occipital bone (Gill 1986b). By far the majority of Whites how the "curved" form. A review of the literature by Chapman (1993), as well as a look at some data from the American Museum of Natural History (n=25), suggests that Polynesian , like Whites, show only about 15~ angled sutures. As illus­ trated in Fig. 4 in Chapman and Gill (thi volume) Peruvians show about 50% curved and 50% angled sutures, a lower incidence than among the North American Indians, but a much higher frequency than among White or Polynesians. A B c Fig.4 in Chapman and Gill (this volume) also illustrates, however, an intermediate frequency of angled sutures Figure 4. The three basic plate shapes conunon to Homo Sapi­ (between Peruvian and Polynesian) at least at ome Easter ens. The elliptical palate (A) is conU110n among Amerindians, Island site areas. the hyperbolic form (B) is very common among Blacks and Australoids, and the parabolic palate (C) is the most common Perhaps one of the most useful traits for discerning form among Whites and Polynesians (from Gill 1986b) Amerindians from Polynesians and Whites is the form of the

Rapa Nui Journal 66 Vol II (2) June 1997 Published by Kahualike, 1997 3 Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation, Vol. 11 [1997], Iss. 2, Art. 4

palate. Late Prehistoric North American Indians show about sian norms, and in the direction of the Peruvian condition. 50% elliptic palates and 50% parabolic. Whites almost always This trend could result from a coincidence of Founder Effect, show parabolic palates, with very few elliptic and hyperbolic. drifting in each case toward a Peruvian norm, or a combina­ As illustrated in Fig. 3 of Chapman and Gill (this volume), tion of this effect plus insufficient sample sizes of Polynesians in a few instances. Osteological data on many Polynesian

AHU NAU NAU populations are few or lacking. However, it would be surpris­ ing if a combination of Founder Effect and insufficient sample would in nearly every case bias the result in the same direction (toward Peruvian norms). o RAllO Furthermore, the patterning of the trait occurrences on .... "01 Easter Island, by tribal area, makes coincidence an even less likely explanation. Mo t of these traits which seem to suggest some Amerindian influence are high or highest in frequency along the Northeast coast of Easter Island. This area is the same in which certain cultural associations appear strongest (e.g., rupa structures, and folklore of the mysterious Hanau eepe). An overview of the location of the key sites in our study fASTEn ISLAND flAI'A NUl in relation to the Easter Island coastline (see Figure 6) is

o 1 1 Ill'" useful, especially in reference to directions of gene flow in ~ I I )' K... prehistoric times as demonstrated by Zimpel and Gill (1986) Figure 6. Burial site from excavations from 1978 and the 1981 and Gill and Owsley (1993), and the ancient tribal boundaries Easter Island Anthropological Expedition which produced signifi­ as depicted by Routledge (1919) (Figure 7). The locations of cant skeletal samples adequate for craniofacial trait comparisons. the ancient tribal boundaries help greatly to explain the results Direction of gene flow between these three areas are indicated. of our discriminant function tudy of lineage trait complexes and gene flow (Zimpel and Gill 1986) and some dramatic Peruvian Indians and West Mexican Indians show nearly 60% differences observed in frequency, by tribal area, of certain elliptic palates. discrete anomalies such as the bipartite patella (at Ahu Nau Polynesians from the Marquesas and , on Nau) and ankylosed sacroiliac joint (at Oroi caves) (Gill and the other hand, show none at all, and the prehistoric Hawai­ Owsley 1993). ian almost none (only 4% elliptic). Virtually all Polynesians, These dramatic differences in frequencies of discrete like White, how a very high frequency of parabolic palates trait on Easter Island, by tribal area, not only coincide with ( ee Fig. 2 of Chapman and Gill, this volume). Once again, Routledge's clan boundaries but also strongly support Me­ some Easter Island site group are intermediate between Peru­ traux' statements regarding tribal endogamy on prehistoric vians and Polynesians on a discrete skeletal trait (but in this Easter Island, especially among members of the aristocratic in tance actually much closer to Peru than Polynesia). Miru tribe of the Northwest coast. We have found no skeletal On nearly all of the traits examined in the Chapman evidence for gene flow from other parts of Easter Island into tudy, plus our rocker jaw lUdy, the arne pattern emerges. Miru territory. All evidence suggests that when a Miru mar­ The prehistoric Easter Islanders depart slightly from Polyne- ried outside the tribe he or she also moved out of the tribal area, thus maintaining the "purity" of the royal lineage. A primary focus of the Chapman (1993) study was the AHU NAU N.U area east of Miru territory, just across the hostile border between the also warring confederacies of the Tu'u and the Hotu'iti. In the Northeast area, in the vicinity of Mahatua, the curious occurrences of Amerindian skeletal characteristics have been most apparent. As mentioned, Inca bones occur in the area. These extra bones, typical of Andean Indians, have been found at no other Easter Island sites. Also, the elliptic palate form and angled zygomaticomaxillary suture, typical of Amerindians, are found at much higher frequencies along the Northeast coast of Easter Island than they are in Miru terri­ tory. In fact, the Miru people as exemplified by the North coast skeletal sample from Ahu Nau Nau, seem from all fASTEn ISLAND nAPA NUl skeletal indications, to be typical East Polynesians. Metrically,

o I , AoI~" all Easter Island sub-populations are typically East Polyne­ ~ i I rII... sian, but regarding discrete trait occurrences some are and some are not. The Miru (Ahu Nau Nau skeletons) show a 0% Figure 7. Some important boundaries from Routledge's frequency of Inca bones, a 0% frequency ofelliptic palates, a prehistoric clan map. which coincide well with observed distribu­ very low frequency of angled zygomaticomaxillary sutures, tions of discrete traits. and explain the direction of gene flow. https://kahualike.manoa.hawaii.edu/rnj/vol11/iss2/4Rapa Nui Journal 67 Vol II (2) June 1997 4 Gill et al.: Easter Island Origins: Implications of Osteological Findings

and many other indications of late prehistoric genetic isolation many shore where the overturned canoe became their tempo­ from other Easter Island tribal groups, and correspondingly rary home. After so many years engaged in a nomadic life as from the slight trace of Amerindian influence detectable else­ coastal fishermen, the temporary home became their only where around the island. Thus, the Ahu Nau Nau population home. appears to have been less "Peruvian" than the other prehistoric Observations byLee Easter Islanders. As Georgia Lee has pointed out (Lee 1997) based upon her inventory of art tyles and motifs, the Marquesan islanders Former Hypotheses mu t have had a topover somewhere on their way to Ea ter How, then, is one to explain a small Amerindian skeletal I land. They not only lost the stick figure from their art, and a element, found in this otherwise East Polynesian population? few god from their Polynesian pantheon, but they picked up Two hypotheses that have been offered are: boat-shaped homes a an adaptation to a new life. An early Peru ian element on Easter Island, which was A Theory by Buck later overwhelmed by Polynesians from the west (Heyerdahl Peter Buck (1938) notes that the sweet potato exist in 1989). Polynesia as virtually undeniable evidence of South American An East Polynesian population which was established contact with Polynesia. He saw Polynesian, not Amerindians, first on Rapa Nui, and then influenced perhaps in the Middle as the great sailors responsible for its introduction. He be­ Period, by a boatload of lost Peruvian sailors who landed there lieved it much more likely that the Polynesians, as part of the and married into the population (Englert 1970; Bellwood eastward expansion acros the Pacific, encountered the Amer­ 1978). icas (and sailed back again with the sweet potato)than that If the first of these hypotheses is correct, much higher Amerindians journeyed we tward into the Pacific. frequencies of Amerindian trait should be present, and proba­ Insights from Heyerdahl, de Velde, and others bly should be detected metrically (in addition to the di crete According to Heyerdahl (1968, 1989) and other men of trait evidence). Also, one might expect to see evidence of the sea (de Velde, personal communication 1981), and addi­ ceramics, textile and developed lithics that hould accom­ tional scholars familiar with ocean current (Finney 1993), it pany any significant movement of Amerindians from either is very difficult to sail to Easter Island by way of Polynesia in Mesoamerica or into Polyne ia. a primitive craft, yet it appears to be a relatively ea y voyage If the second hypothesis is correct, and a boatload of from South America. De Velde sailed into Easter Island in Peruvian sailors (ten men according to folklore) encountered 1981 and joined our expedition for a few days. He recounted an already established Middle Period population of thousands stories of the voyage from the South American coast in his of Polynesians, could subsequent generations possibly be small craft. sufficiently influenced genetically to show the discrete trait Folklore frequencies indicated by our studies? It would seem highly Many anthropologists pay little attention to native folk­ unlikely. An island-wide reduction in rocker jaw frequencies lore. Although by itself it proves nothing, we have been of more than 30% (from an Ea t Polynesian norm of over impressed by how often the tories about population origins 80%) could simply not happen from the genetic influence of and composition are basically true. Sometimes the old stories ten men integrated into a population of thousands. Neither can even be tested osteologically. Folklore has guided us could such a large number of elliptic palates be generated by correctly in Mesoamerica regarding the complex origin of a such an insignificant infusion of gene so late in Rapa Nui coastal population in Toltec Period (Postclassic) West Mexico history. (Gill and Case 1983). Ethnohistorical information gathered by Routledge and Metraux on Easter Island regarding tribal Background for a New Hypothesis endogamy and tribal boundaries ha also been supported by For these reasons, we regard the earlier explanations as two separate lines of osteological research involving discrete inadequate. One of us (GWG) has formulated an alternative postcranial anomalies and a discriminant function of 31 di ­ hypothesis based upon an idea of 's, a theory crete cranial traits (Gill and Owsley 1993). Chapman's (1993) of Peter Buck's and a key observation made by Heyerdahl recent study of additional di crete traits support the same (and others) regarding ocean currents. concepts regarding the location of tribal boundaries and tribal Insights by Mulloy endogamy. Mulloy (personal communication, 1973) was impressed Folklore among the North American Indians regarding by the traditional boat-shaped houses on Easter Island. The the pre ence of bearded Whites seems to coincide with Nor e fact that the entire domestic organization of a people was sagas that tell of Viking voyages along the North American structured within the confines of an overturned canoe im­ coast. Legends on both sides of the Atlantic were ignored by pressed him. Mulloy once said: "I don't know where the some scholars for years until archaeological evidence urfaced Easter Islanders came from, but I'll tell you one thing, they at L'Anse aux Meadows (Ingstad 1964). The sagas actually were on the sea a helluva long time." We concur with Mulloy played a role in the eventual discovery of this important that a group of Polynesian seafarers would not change their archaeological site. basic house type to that of chronic sea rovers on a month-long Amerindian folklore from Mesoamerica and from along voyage from some neighboring Polynesian island. These peo­ the west coast of South America regarding bearded Whites ple had been away from their original homeland for years. For from the sea is less well explained at this time than are the a long time they had been making coastal stopovers along related stories from North America. The now well-

Rapa Nui Journal 68 Vol II (2) June 1997 Published by Kahualike, 1997 5 Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation, Vol. 11 [1997], Iss. 2, Art. 4

,- - , , quency of white skins and Caucasoid I' Wull.a, : facial features than the contact period

'" ~ • .. A " .... ~"\'.,~. Marquesas Islanders. '4",,"" " .. ~ " 's"· ...... "" ~ Thus, we subscribe to an old theo- • JOllllllon " .... f ESIA ~..... retical point 0 view regarding the ';","SHAllIS \ .... , racial composition of East Asia and : '!'m,.. '" Polynesia formulated by Birdsell ~L~m~~~~~M~U~~1~7~:_'~~~M~I~w_n_w~~~~~;~~~:~~:n~ ~~~'~'~'~~ -~~~~(~~r(lm)~Oth~~~S~~~oo, ~::";;'~"" .,' ' •.~[~'~'S 10..,,· 's.",,,, and also accepted by Mulloy, Englert,

:.Ool~:.::;;..... ,':~ll~E IS .'O"E'U IS ,~~;::;:. ::. 'J> uES'SiS ", and others familiar with the people and ~'41 .... c~:,':s: ''',~., ··.s••,,, .• cob,s ,,,,,•..C..,I". A " the and East ~~fll E:;:"' " ... JII.!..II~I ~wu ·~",o.. l S '\ '\ PI' Th th h b 'UO . ,H'wll'" " ...... '. '. ... 0 ynesla. e eory as een sup- ft HUlflOESt;. I fill , ..:\.. s " .:•..:];/1,;,:". :.:~:·JP.lU IS , •.•• A ~ .' h:t"'·.", S coo,r·. Dc/c" 's ."... 0 \ pOl led recently by additional osteolog- ~.lQ'~lI' IS ·,~•• IO"IH'!)'; R.llItO"I; .• ~.'nJl'" C'''oo,,, ." '\. Aus, .',b,...... ~ ..,... ical analysis of Archaic and Paleoin- , ~"/J "R••_.hlt ·f:.l"flt , ~ ;'IUltn d· It' th t I " 'ro,' RIO" Ian popu a Ions a a so represent '/'UI'rOII, ~ . ,,(/lNAOEt IS _ ...... - I. ti f EtA' bef ',,,, •••• " c"", _ _ _ ear y ffilgra ons rom as sla ore , ~ - - - the Mongoloid complex of characteris- ,'~EW ~V ------tics became firmly established (Gill ~~':'- ~ ~;~~~ :':~~w:;;d1 :~~~i",elli ('J _ ------1991; \~::~I;/ " New Hypothesis Figure 8. Proposed sea roule lO Easter Island from the Marquesas Islands From the evidence of human oste­ ology, art, archaeology, oceanography, documented Viking voyages to North America provide the hi tory and folklore emerges a new point of view on Easter needed explanation for the North American folktales. Ac· Island origins, Basically it involves a new sea route from the counting for the presence of European on the west coast of Marquesas to Ea ter Island, by way of South America (Figure South America in prehistoric or protohistoric time is more 8), We envision it beginning fir t as a great voyage by East difficult. Fortunately, in light of recent osteological evidence Polynesians, probably Marquesas Islanders, to Central Amer­ it is al 0 unneces ary. Since the days of 1.8. Birdsell' osteo­ ica or northern South America. It seems likely that they logical work in Asia and the Americas, physical anthropolo­ initially sailed to the northeast, encountered the equatorial gi t have known that bearded Whites (resembling the Ainu counter-current and eventually made their way to the Ameri­ people of northern ) were probably a widespread racial ca . These people were on a colonizing voyage and therefore element in East A ia prehistorically and even entered the New had all basic plant domesticate with them and probably the World by way of the Bering Strait. Recent human osteological pig, dog and . Uninhabited off shore islands probably re earch further supp rlS Birdsell's perspective (Gill 1991; became their home base, but realizing that they had encoun­ Steele and Powell 1992: Brace 1995). Just as the ancient tered an inhabited "great land," they established themselves people of all of Japan and much of China (prior to the Bronze mostly through fishing and trade. At least some moved on Age) were Asiatic Caucasoids, and at lea t a few of the early southward along the coast, perhaps moving in small craft from Americans. so it would seem were the earlie t Polynesians. island to island. When on land they lived in their overturned Therefore, the most isolated of the Polyne ians, the East canoes, They lost some of their in this new Polynesians. simply missed mo t later waves of gene flow of life. They learned of new gods, new skills and new foods. the "Mongoloid complex." For these reasons they al 0 re­ They adopted one valuable tuber most like their own , the mained the most Caucasoid in appearance of any of the sweet potato. They became more interested in stone carving. Polyne ian people. Some years later the majority of these seafarers re­ It i our contention that the bearded White, or Viracocha grouped to attempt a return colonizing voyage to their Polyne­ pc pic. mentioned by Heyerdahl (1989) as the "people of the sian homeland. A few skilled Andean stone carver.s had ea" from South American Indian folklore could well be East befriended them and taught them special skills. Some even Polynesian voyagers, probably from the Marquesas 1 lands. It married into this alien group. Some joined the voyagers. is imply unnece sary to postulate Europeans sailing around The return voyage did not go as planned. Plagued with the Horn or crossing the Isthmus of Panama to account for problems, perhaps storms, they were carried southward into occasional glimpse of bearded White ailors along the west the Humboldt Current. They were able to follow this current coast of the Americas. to Ea ter Island. They knew they were lucky to be there. They The East Polynesian and the Ainu of Japan arc certainly made no organized attempts to leave their new home. The among the last of the Ea·t Asiatic Caucasoid . Bearded many years of voyaging to the Americas, living there for a Whites they are. European' they arc not. time and voyaging back had not been easy. They lost the It would seem from all accounts of all of the earliest domestic pig and the dog; they managed to maintain the European explorers who encountered Easter I landers. from and domestic plants, however, and even added the Roggeveen onward, that the original Rapa Nui were of this bottle gourd and the sweet potato. same population element. perhaps with an even higher fre- The founding remembered both previ- https://kahualike.manoa.hawaii.edu/rnj/vol11/iss2/4Rapa Nui Journal 69 Vol II (2) June 1997 6 Gill et al.: Easter Island Origins: Implications of Osteological Findings ous homelands in legend and song. They had become cultur­ References ally enriched and more diverse than other Polynesian people Bass, William M. 1964. The Variation in Physical Types of the Pre­ while in the Americas and had even received a small amount historic Plains Indians. Plains Anduvpologisc Memoir 1, vol. of gene flow from their continental neighbors. They thrived in 9(24):65-145. their new homeland because of this diversity, even though the 1995. Human Osteology. Fourth Edition, Missouri Archaeolog­ new horne was terribly isolated and quite small. ical Society Special Pub. 2, Columbia. Bellwood, Peter 1978. The Polynesians: Prehiscory ofan Island Peo­ One very old Rapa Nui song, sometimes still sung by ple. Thames and Hudson, London. Kiko Pate, speaks to the new island horne and chastise the Birdsell, J.B. 1972. Human Evolution. Rand Me ally, Chicago. little island of Rapa Nui for stealing them away on their return Brace, c.L. 1995. The Stages ofHuman Evolution. Fifth Edition. voyage to their homeland with all the new things that they had Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. acquired and were bringing from the "great land" or "big Buck, Peter H. 1938. Vikings ofthe Sunrise. Lippincott, Philadel­ island." We believe that this is precisely what happened. phia. This new hypothesis of Easter Island settlement ac­ Chapman, Patrick 1993. Analysis of Non-Metric Cranial Traits from counts for: Prehistoric Easter Island with Comparisons to Peru. Masters 1. The detectable thread of Amerindian osteological trait Thesis, Department of Anthropology, Univ. of Wyoming. in a basically East Polynesian population. Englert, Sebastian 1970. Island at che Cencer ofthe World Charles Scribners and Sons, NY. 2. Some Peruvian concepts in an East Polynesian culture, Finney, Ben 1993. Voyaging and Isolation in Rapa Nui Prehistory. but lacking any fully developed Andean elements. Rapa Nui Joumal7(1): 1-5. 3. Loss of some basic Polynesian culture elements, and Gilbert, Randi and George W. Gill 1990. A Metric Technique for acquisition of others that would seem to fit a unique history Identifying American Indian Femora. In: G.W. Gill and J. S. (e.g., boat-shaped houses). Rhine, eds. Skeletal Attribution ofRace, pp. 97-99. Maxwell 4. Folklore suggesting two places of origin. This explains Museum of Anthropology, Anthropological Papers 4. Univer­ how a Polynesian ariki in large canoes (or canoe) could have sity of New Mexico. arrived from the east. Gill, George W. 1995. Challenge on the Frontier: Discerning Ameri­ In sum, as Heyerdahl (1989) has said before, all primi­ can Indians from Whites Osteologically. Joumal ofForensic Sciences, Vol. 40 (5):783-788. tive craft (including the ships of the European explorers) sail Gill, George W. 1986a. Final Report of Investigations of the 1981 to Easter Island from the east. What the sailors are not able to Easter Island Anthropological Expedition. Unpublished Report, see, however, and human osteologists are, is that the ones who National Geographic Society, grant no. 2256-80. made that ancient voyage from the Americas were Polyne­ 1986b. Craniofacial Criteria in Forensic Race Identification. In sians and not the indigenous Americans themselves. K.J. Reichs, ed., Forensic Osteology. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, II. Pp. 143- 159. Footnotes 1990. Easter Island Rocker Jaws. Rapa Nw' Joumal, 4(2):21. I International research effort funded by National Geo­ 1991. Human Skeletal Remains on the Northwestern Plains. In graphic Society, Center for Field Re earch-Earthwatch, the G.c. Frison, ed., Prehiscoric Hunters ofthe High Plains. Aca­ demic Press, NY; Pp. 431-447. government of Chile, University of Wyoming and other agen­ Gill, G.W., D.W. Owsley, and S.l. Baker. 1993. Craniometric Eval­ cies, and organized for the salvage, curation and study of uation of Prehistoric Easter Island Populations. Paper Presented prehistoric Easter Island skeletons. Co-principal investigators: at the 52nd Annual Meeting, American Association of Physical George W. Gill, Ph.D., Scientific Leader, University of Anthropologists, Indianapolis. Abstract in the American Jour­ Wyoming; Sergio Rapu H., Museum; Clau­ nal ofPhysical Anthropology, voI.60(2): 197. dio Cristino F., University of Chile. Gill, G.W., S.S. Hughes, S.M. Bennett and B.M. Gilbert. 1988. 2 One-month archaeological/osteological field season on Racial Identification from the Midfacial Skeleton with Special Easter Island funded by University of Wyoming and Sebastian Reference to American Indians and Whites. Joumal ofForensic Englert Museum of Easter Island, which consisted of the Sciences, Vol. 33(1 ):92-99. study of 100 skeletons from Ahu Nau Nau excavated by Gill, G.W. and Stanley Rhine, eds. 1990. Skeletal Actribution of Race. Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, Anthropological Sergio Rapu and Sonia Haoa in 1978, and the recovery of 20 Papers 4, University of New Mexico. additional skeletons from the south coast of Easter Island Gill, G.W. and D.W. Owsley. 1993. Human Osteology of Rapa Nui. (Rapu and Gill), which were in imminent threat of destruction. In: S.R. Fischer, ed. Easter Island Seudies. Oxbow Monograph J 1987-88 Kon-Tiki Expedition to Easter Island funded 32, Oxford. Pp. 56-62. by Kon-Tiki Museum, Smithsonian Institution and University Heyerdahl, T. 1968. Sea Routes CO Polynesia. Rand McNally and of Wyoming. Archaeology team: T. Heyerdahl, A. Skjl/llsvold, Co., Chicago. G. Figueroa, S. Haoa; Osteology team: G. Gill, D. Owsley, R. 1989. Easterisland: The Mystery Solved Random House, NY. Mann, S. Haoa, S. Long. 1989 Human Osteology Collections Houghton, Philip. 1977. Rocker Jaws. American Joumal ofPhysical Curation on Rapa Nui funded by World Monuments Fund (G. A.nthropology, 47:365-370. Gill, S. Haoa, S. Baker, S. Brown). 1990-91 Human Osteol­ Howells, W.W. 1973. Cranial Variation in Man. Papers of the Peabody Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology. Harvard ogy Data Recovery funded by University of Wyoming (G. University, Cambridge. Vol. 67. Gill, D. Owsley, S. Haoa, C. Clayton). October 1991 Human Ingstad, Helge. 1964. Vinland Ruins Prove Vikings Found the New Osteology Data Recovery funded by University of Wyoming World. National Geographic 126(5):708-734. (Gill, Haoa). Krogman, W.M. and M.Y. Iscan. 1986. The Human Skeleton in Forensic Medicine. Second edi-

Rapa Nui Journal 70 Vol II (2) June 1997 Published by Kahualike, 1997 7 l------Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation, Vol. 11 [1997], Iss. 2, Art. 4

tion. Charles C. Thomas. Springfield, IL. Rathbun, T.A. and J.E. BuLkstra, eds. 1984. Human IdenlificatioD. Lee. Georgia 1997. Petroglyph Motif Distribution in East Polynesia. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, lL. Rapa Nui Joumal II(I ):5-9. Reichs, K.J. 1986. Forensic Osteology. Charles C. Thomas, Spring­ Metraux, ALfred. 1957. Easter Island. Oxford University Press, NY. field, IL. eves, W.A. and H.M. Pucciarelli. 1991. Morphological Affinities Routledge, K.S. 1919. The Mystery ofEaster Island Hazel, Watson of the First Americans: An Exploratory Analysis Based on and Viney, London. Early South American Human Remains. Joumal ofHuman Snow, Charles E. 1974. Early Hawaiians. University Press of Ken­ Evolution, Vol. 21:261-273. tucky, Lexington. Owsley, D.W., G.W. Gill and S.D. Ousley. 1994. Biological Effects Steele, D.G. and C.A. Bramlett. 1988. The Anatomy andBiology of of European Contact on Easter Island. In: C.S. Larsen and G.R. 111e Human Skeleton. Texas A&M University Press, College Milner. eds. In the Wake ofContact: Biological Responses to Station. Conquest. Wiley-Liss, Inc.. NY. Pp. 161-177. Steele, D.G. and J. F. Powell 1992. Peopling of the Americas: Pale­ Pietrusewsky, M. 1969. An Osteological Study of Cranial and In­ obiological Evidence. Human Biology64(3):303-336. fracranlal Remains from Tonga. Records ofthe Auckland Insti­ White, Tim D. 1991. Human Osteology. Academic Press, N.Y. lUte and Museums, Vol. 6:287-402. Zimpel, C. And G.W. Gill. 1986. Discrete Trait Analysis of Easter 1976. A Study of Human Skeletal Remains from Hane Dune Island Crania: Evidence for Prehistoric Tribal Endogamy. Ab­ Site, Uahuka, Marquesas. Part II of Prehistoric Human Skeletal stract in Amen'can Joumal ofPhysical Anthropology, Remains from ew Guinea and the Marquesas. Asian 69(2):283. andPacific Arch,7eology Series, No.7. Social Science and Lin­ guistics Institute, Univcrsity of Hawaii.

The Ancient Solar Observatories ofRapanui: the Archaeoastronomy ofEaster Island by William Liller, 1993, is now available in Spanish Los Antiguos Observatorios Solares tASTER (SLANT). FOl1NT).ATtON de Rapa Nui: NEW Pl1EUCATtONS! La Arqueoastronomia de Isla de Pascua, 1996 Translation by Ana Betty Haoa Rapahango. ISBN 1­ 880636-06-9. Price is US $14, plus postage. Copies of this Archaeological In vestigations book can be obtained by contacting Dr William Liller, on Easter Island.Maunga Tari: Casilla 437, Vii'ia del Mar, Chile. An Upland AgriculturalComplex by Christopher Stevenson 1997 COMING ATIRACIlONS! Ea ter Island Foundation Occasional Paper 3 ISBN 1-880636-10-7 Death ofa . Easter Island Statues: Based upon years of field research on Easter I land, Their Nature, Deterioration, and Conservation Stevenson's book is an exhaustive study of a little-known by A. Elena Charola (1997) part of the island: uta, or the interior. Considered the land Easter Island Foundation Occasional Paper 4, of spirits. it was previously thought that little activity went ISBN 1-88063-10-7 on here. However, Stevenson de cribes firm evidence for In Press. This book will be for sale at the South Seas agriculture, temporary housing, tools used in wood work­ Symposium in Albuquerque. Foreword by Paul G. Bahn. ing, and mall shrines. One of the sites contains what Soft-cover, 48 pages; 42 black/white photographs, 10 line appears to be an irrigation-type alignment--a first on Rapa drawings plus maps, charts, glossary and bibliography. Nui. Soft-cover, 165 pages; 27 tables, 129 figures, 20 black/ Ingrained Images: Wood Carvings white plates, glossary and bibliography. from Easter Island Order from the Easter Island Foundation, by Joan T. Seaver Kurze (1997) P.O. Box 6774, Los Osos, CA 93412. Easter Island Foundation; ISBN 1-880636-12-3 Price is $26.00 plus $5 shipping/handling. California resi­ In press; this book will be for sale at the South Seas dents add 7.5% tax. Symposium in Albuquerque. Foreword by Georgia Lee. Soft cover, 94 Pages, 110 color photographs, 42 black/ white photos plus 21 line drawings and bibliography. This publication also serves as a catalog to accompany the contemporary Rapa Nui wood carving exhibition at the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico.

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