The Influence and Efflorescence of Ancient Micronesia

Abstract

Abstract Micronesia is a region of the northwest tropical Pacific that, true to its name, comprises thousands of smaller islands stretching across a vast seascape. Despite their diminutive nature, the islands of Micronesia are unique in many ways and hold important clues about the settlement of Remote Oceania and subsequent cultural and historical phenomena that developed over the course of three millennia. This chapter highlights six major topics to introduce readers to the region’s archaeological record and its significance to island and coastal studies on a global scale. These include (1) the early colonization of western Micronesia when compared with other parts of Remote Oceania ca. 3,300 years ago; (2) the pervasiveness of monumental architecture, megaliths, and/or large-scale earth-moving activities; (3) sustained use of long-distance sailing, particularly in the atolls, and the sharing of traditional voyaging techniques that have helped revitalization movements elsewhere; (4) a dearth of research compared to other parts of the Pacific resulting from logistical difficulties and different colonial powers changing hands; (5) intensive conflicts taking place during World War II; and (6) Micronesia’s high susceptibility to the effects of climate change.