When humans first reached Southeast Asia, some 70,000 years ago, most of Indonesia was a broad peninsula; in like manner, due to the lower sea levels of the late Pleistocene, Taiwan and Japan were connected to the mainland via land bridges. Then, as the glaciers melted and sea levels rose, Indonesia became a vast archipelago and both Taiwan and Japan were cut off from the Asian mainland.
About 3500 years ago, a seafaring culture arose in Southeast Asia, initially exploring island chains throughout the western Pacific; current archeological and genetic evidence suggests that they were closely related to the ancestral residents of Taiwan. By 3000 years ago, these adventurous sailors, using catamaran-like craft, reached Fiji and Samoa; a thousand years later they had colonized the Society Islands (which include Tahiti) and, by 1800 years ago, had settled in the Marquesas Islands, further east. Polynesians reached the Hawaiian Islands about 1500 years ago, Easter Island 1200 years ago and New Zealand 800 years ago.
It is humbling to know what these early human explorers achieved without the advantages of modern technology; indeed, many present-day Americans seem unable to navigate their home towns without the aid of GPS. European explorers would not reach the far-flung settlements of Polynesia until the 1500s and modern citizens of the globe, pampered by centuries of human progress, need only endure a long plane flight to visit these Pacific archipelagos.
About 3500 years ago, a seafaring culture arose in Southeast Asia, initially exploring island chains throughout the western Pacific; current archeological and genetic evidence suggests that they were closely related to the ancestral residents of Taiwan. By 3000 years ago, these adventurous sailors, using catamaran-like craft, reached Fiji and Samoa; a thousand years later they had colonized the Society Islands (which include Tahiti) and, by 1800 years ago, had settled in the Marquesas Islands, further east. Polynesians reached the Hawaiian Islands about 1500 years ago, Easter Island 1200 years ago and New Zealand 800 years ago.
It is humbling to know what these early human explorers achieved without the advantages of modern technology; indeed, many present-day Americans seem unable to navigate their home towns without the aid of GPS. European explorers would not reach the far-flung settlements of Polynesia until the 1500s and modern citizens of the globe, pampered by centuries of human progress, need only endure a long plane flight to visit these Pacific archipelagos.
