R. C. Suggs and the Marquesas
While certain regressions are evident in recent Archeological works, it will be worth noting here that the excellent work of Suggs remains viable even 30 years after its publication.. It is now clear that his thorough synthesis of the available facts and theories endowed him with an almost visionary insight. He appears as man who left no stone unturned, to use an apt phrase, he gathered information from every possible source and with apparent ease correctly interpreted such, eventually developing a profound understanding of the more important issues. He foresaw quite correctly the implications of his work in the Marquesas and was fortunately placed in History to have had access to a body of culminating theory and discovery. Even now after three decades of further scientific investigation the broad picture of Polynesian Prehistory has not dramatically evolved much beyond the 1961 postulates of Suggs.
Unfortunately the intensity and genius of his work has not been recognized. Nor has it been equalled in its comprehensive scope. Today we are in sad need of a thoroughly revised continuation of the work that Suggs commenced, for he only opened the preliminary round in the Marquesas. Sinoto's published work concerning the Marquesas is pathetically meager by comparison and ironically it is now Sinoto's interpretations of Suggs that have been vindicated. Perhaps more ironic is the fact that it may be that Sinoto was quite correct in assuming that he had discovered at Hane an older stratum than Suggs found at Ha'atuatua. If the Hane Radiocarbon dates had of been 500 B.C., which today seems not inconceivable, then the issues would have been resolved. What is now required is a very thorough follow up which will finally put all the issues in their correct perspective.
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