Did ancient Americans settle in Polynesia? The evidence doesn't stack up
- Written by Lisa Matisoo-Smith, Professor of Biological Anthropology, University of Otago
Andres Moreno-EstradaHow did the Polynesian peoples come to live on the far-flung islands of the Pacific? The question has intrigued researchers for centuries.
Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl brought the topic to public attention when he sailed a balsa-wood raft called the Kon-Tiki from Peru to Polynesia in 1947. His goal was to demonstrate such...





