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This article is thin on details. But there's a lot of good stuff written about Polynesian navigation technology. I particularly liked the book Vaka Moana, which
by NelsonMinar 10y ago
This article is thin on details. But there's a lot of good stuff written about Polynesian navigation technology. I particularly liked the book Vaka Moana, which has an approachable and intelligent description of boats, cultures, navigation techniques, etc. https://www.amazon.com/Vaka-Moana-Voyages-Ancestors-Settlement/dp/0824832132/ https://www.amazon.com/Vaka-Moana-Voyages-Ancestors-Settleme...
One thing I took away from the book was that Polynesian colonization follows a pattern that looks deliberate. Specifically that they would depart on a voyage against the winds and currents, the hard way, so that they could make a swift return if they couldn't find the destination. Or at least that's what some computer modelling of the spread of Polynesian culture says. That finding is a bit at odds with this NYT article, not sure what that means.
Some other links for this NYT article:
The PNAS page (abstract only, paywall) http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/10/18/1612426113 http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/10/18/1612426113
Another summary with more details https://around.uoregon.edu/content/study-finds-climate-helped-guide-early-pacific-seafarers https://around.uoregon.edu/content/study-finds-climate-helpe...
- pcmaffey 10y agoAlso, testicular navigation was a thing. More sensitive current detection...
- quakeguy 10y agoI had no clue... http://www.hawaii-nation.org/gis/8-conclusion.html http://www.hawaii-nation.org/gis/8-conclusion.html Thx!
- tonyarkles 10y agoThis explains in more detail how it works: https://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/friends/Technology_of_Oceania.pdf https://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/friends/Technology_of_Oceania.pdf
- contingencies 10y agoFor tons of academic references on this sort of thing, check out the Journal of Polynesian Studies based out of Auckland University, New Zealand @ http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/ http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/ Except the very latest issues it's all online for free, and some fascinating reading. I used a lot of it writing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wa_(watercraft) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wa_(watercraft) For example http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document?wid=4414&page=0 http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document?wid=4414&page=0 discusses modern trimarans versus traditional craft complete with rigging, photographs and vessel schematics, and http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document?wid=5567&page=0 http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document?wid=5567&page=0 provides wind tunnel measurements of the efficacy of traditional rigging.