Abstract
As the reviewer of Australasia in NATURE, vol. xx. p. 598, I must ask space for a few further words with regard to Rapanui. Mr. Albert J. Mott draws conclusions with regard to the ancient navigation of the Pacific Ocean and a former condition of high civilisation of the erectors of the stone images, which will not be admitted by any scientific ethnologist. The difficulties attending the erection by savages, or very slightly civilised people all over the world, of large stones has been greatly overrated. In the case of the stone images of Easter Island, the latest observer, M. A. Pinart, who has paid great attention to this very question and published the fullest account of the matter, together with a series of excellent illustrations, finds no difficulty in accounting for their erection. He writes as follows:—“L'ensemble de ce vaste atelier de statues gigantesques les unes entirement terminees les autres a letat debauche et en voie d execution nous permet de nous rendre compte de la facon dont le travail etait accompli, et de la maniere dont elles etaient erigees et mise en place apres leur complet achevement. L'execution de ce travail qui de prime abord parait considerable, qui a tout etonne les voyageurs et suggere de nombreuses hypotheses, est cependant d une grande simplicite”.
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MOSELEY, H. Easter Island. Nature 21, 32 (1879). https://doi.org/10.1038/021032b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/021032b0
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