Ancient Mariners Recreate 30,000-Year-Old Sea Voyage in Log Canoe
In a modern-day experiment, researchers from the University of Tokyo crafted a replica of a Paleolithic canoe and sailed from Taiwan to Okinawa to study how ancient humans navigated the seas without maps or metal tools. Their findings shed light on early human migration patterns in the western Pacific.
In 2019, a research team led by Yousuke Kaifu from the University of Tokyo built a dugout canoe to study how ancient humans navigated the Kuroshio current from Taiwan to southern Japanese islands over 30,000 years ago. The team relied on experimental archaeology similar to the Kon-Tiki expedition.
Two studies published in Science detailed the experiments. One study used ocean models to simulate possible routes, while the other described the 45-hour journey from Taiwan to Yonaguni Island. The crew paddled a 25-foot canoe named Sugime, relying on celestial navigation.
The findings suggest early humans likely used watercraft to migrate to the Japanese archipelago from mainland Asia. The Kuroshio current has remained stable for thousands of years, influencing ancient migration patterns.
Financed by crowdfunding, the team successfully replicated the ancient voyage in 2019. Kaifu believes the ancient mariners were skilled paddlers with deliberate navigation strategies.
According to the source: eKathimerini.com.
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Angry
0
Sad
0
Wow
0
