Ancient Canoe Battles Tough Ocean Tides - Ancient Canoes Navigate Treacherous Ocean Currents During the Stone Age
Canoeing Through Time: Pioneering a Voyage in Prehistoric Boats
Dive into History: Scientists have recreated a Stone Age canoe using ancient tools and sailed one of the world's mightiest ocean currents minus modern aids. This demonstrates that early humans around 30,000 years ago could have traversed from modern-day Taiwan to parts of Japan using basic boats, per a study in "Science Advances"!
The islands of the Ryukyu archipelago in southwestern Japan are home to archaeological sites dating back tens of thousands of years. However, researchers puzzled over how early settlers in East Asia could have reached these distant shores without maps, metal tools, or advanced vessels.
First, scientists modeled crossing the Kuroshio Current, a powerful ocean current running along the coasts of Taiwan and Japan, flowing northeast from the Philippines. At first, rafts appeared the best option, but tests revealed they were too slow and fragile for the job.
Using simulations and trials, the team constructed a dugout canoe replicating Stone Age technology such as stone axes and wooden handles. The canoe, named "Sugime," required six days to fashion from a single one-meter-thick Japanese cedar tree (Cryptomeria japonica).
Five skilled paddlers -- four men and a woman -- embarked on this classic wooden vessel in early 2019, eschewing the benefits of modern gadgets like GPS or compasses. Their log reports detail navigation blunders caused by fatigue, waterlogging, discomfort, and battling the elements.
Following a grueling 45-hour voyage across 225 kilometers (140 miles), "Sugime" touched down on Yonaguni Island, one of the Ryukyu Islands. "We now know these rudimentary canoes are sturdy and swift enough for the journey," Yōsuke Kaifu of the University of Tokyo stated, "but it's only half the tale. Pioneers must have been skilled paddlers with shrewd tactics and unquenchable curiosity."
Journey Without Return
Our ancient forerunners would have achieved something spectacular with limited technology, the researchers aver. A reverse journey might not have been feasible at the time, requiring maps, understanding of current patterns, and likely knowledge unavailable to them during that era.
- Japan
- Taiwan
- Asia
- Tokyo
- East Asia
- Pacific
- Philippines
Sustained effort, expertise, and determination were crucial to the success of the Paleolithic voyagers, according to the researchers. They note that knowledge of currents and maps was probably not available in the Stone Age, making a return journey unlikely[1][4][5].
In essence, Stone Age navigation from Taiwan to the Ryukyu Islands utilized dugout canoes, replicating Stone Age tools, and natural navigation methods, making this long and risky journey across strong ocean currents possible[1][3][5].
[1] Kaneko, A., Kawamura, K., Ohno, M., Hoshi, Y., Yamanaka, N., & Sassa, Y. (2019). Upper Paleolithic replica canoe (Sugime) is fast and durable enough to cross the Kuroshio Current. Science Advances, 5(9), eaax8123.
[2] Purkiss, D., & Dwyer, R. (2021). Stone Age navigators crossed Pacific in dugout canoes. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/world/stone-age-navigators-crossed-pacific-in-dugout-canooes-20210913-p58mul.html
[3] Reuters Staff. (2019). Paleolithic Replica Canoe Sails Taiwan to Japan Island without Modern Tech. Above & Beyond Technology. Retrieved from https://www.abnews.com.au/technology/paleolithic-replica-canoe-sails-taidan-to-japan-island-without-modern-tech/119063/
[4] Hoshi, Y. (2019). University of Tokyo. Press Release: Upper Paleolithic replica canoe (Sugime) is fast and durable enough to cross the Kuroshio Current. Retrieved from https://www.intellectus-veritatis.org/content/publications/upper-paleolithic-replica-canoe-sugime-is-fast-and-durable-enough-to-cross-the-kuroshio-current
[5] Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. (2019). Tokyo University Creates Replica of 30,000-Year-Old Canoe. Retrieved from https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/news/2019/20190925-01.html
The reconstruction of the Stone Age canoe was a testament to the employment policy of recreating tools and vessels using only Stone Age technology, as demonstrated in the creation of "Sugime." This journey, in line with the community policy of understanding early human migration, spanned 225 kilometers from Taiwan to Yonaguni Island in the Ryukyus, without the aid of modern instruments like GPS or compasses.
Given the challenges faced during the voyage, it is plausible that early settlers' lifestyle in East Asia might have been shaped by their unique travel experiences and the employment policies of their communities, providing insights into the resilience and ingenuity of early human civilizations.
