"Pat Kirch summarizes the extraordinary explosion of the last two decades in our knowledge of Pacific prehistory, an explosion to which he has contributed more than anyone. His synthesis brings together results from all of the subfields of anthropology—ethnography, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistics.. . . No one knows this material as well or can present it in such an effective manner. This book should stand for a generation as the major synthesis of Oceanic prehistory."-Timothy Earle, author of How Chiefs Come to Power
"After nearly four decades of teaching the culture history of Oceania, I can say this is the only up-to-date work that gives a balanced and detailed account of Polynesia, Micronesia, Island Melanesia, and Papua-New Guinea. Moreover, Kirch is one of the more engaging writers of general books about the Pacific. This is the first book to which scholars and general readers will go to pursue any topic relating to Pacific archaeology."-Roger C. Green, Emeritus Professor, University of Auckland

Author Biography:Patrick Vinton Kirch is Class of 1954 Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of seven books including The Evolution of the Polynesian Chiefdoms and Anahulu:The Anthropology of History in the Kingdom of Hawaii (with Marshall Sahlins, 1992).