
Rongorongo
The Easter Island Script: History, Traditions, Text
Steven Roger Fischer(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 11. December 1997
Book
Hardback
736 pages
978-0-19-823710-5 (ISBN)
Description
Rongorongo, Easter Island's enigmatic script and Oceania's only known pre-twentieth-century writing system, is here comprehensively documented for the first time. The author tells the full history of rongorongo's exciting discovery and the many attempts at a decipherment. Pre-missionary traditions surrounding rongorongo are described from previously unpublished material.
Full transcriptions of all the 25 surviving rongorongo inscriptions are provided, along with detailed photographs of nearly every incised artefact. In over six years of full-time research that took the author from St Petersburg to Easter Island, a wholly new picture of the rongorongo phenomenon has emerged. This book is the definitive study of one of the world's most fascinating and eloquent graphic achievements.
Full transcriptions of all the 25 surviving rongorongo inscriptions are provided, along with detailed photographs of nearly every incised artefact. In over six years of full-time research that took the author from St Petersburg to Easter Island, a wholly new picture of the rongorongo phenomenon has emerged. This book is the definitive study of one of the world's most fascinating and eloquent graphic achievements.
Reviews / Votes
The book is highly recommended for beginners and a fruitful inspiration for advanced readers. * Michael Schlottner, International Review of Anthropology and Linguistics * the well documented anthology provides a constructive and effective stage in the ongoing discussion as a considerable stimulation for broader attention. * Michael Schlottner, International Review of Anthropology and Linguistics * Fischer now has complete, readable texts in an ancient form of Greek. Fischer's most valuable contribution is a detailed history of research on Rongoronga ... and a full catalogue of all known Rongorongo inscriptions. These alone will make this book a must, not only for Polynesian specialists, but for all those interested in non-European scripts. * The Times Higher Education Supplement *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
numerous halftones, black and white line figures, rongorongo inscriptions, 1 map
Dimensions
Height: 243 mm
Width: 167 mm
Thickness: 43 mm
Weight
1264 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-823710-5 (9780198237105)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Author
DirectorDirector, Institute of Polynesian Languages and Literatures, Auckland, New Zealand
Content
Preface ; Part 1: HISTORY ; Part 2: TRADITIONS ; Part 3: TEXTS ; Conclusion ; Notes ; Glossary ; References ; Index