The Mystery of Easter Island [Paperback]

Katherine Routledge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2005

We set to work to excavate some of the statues which stood on the slope of the Raraku mountain. The natives were entirely indifferent whether they worked or not, but by paying high wages and giving any quantity of mutton, we were able at this time to get a certain amount of precarious labour for digging and camp work. The whole lot, including my maid-servant, went in for every week-end to the village, and it was always a matter of anxiety to know whether they would ever return. -from Chapter XII Western anthropology's first in-depth look at an isolated culture is also a daring adventure story of around-the-world travel. In February 1913, archaeologist Katherine Routledge set sail on a custom-built yacht-with a small crew and the support of British Association for the Advancement of Science, the British Museum, and the Royal Geographical Society-for Easter Island, where she embarked up the first effort to catalogue the island's mysterious statues, interview the natives, and document their culture, folklore, and traditions. Her scholarship is impeccable-this 1919 work is still considered foundational-but her lively writing and her practical perspective make this a delightful read that thrill armchair travelers and amateur ethnographers alike. British archaeologist KATHERINE ROUTLEDGE (1866-1935) studied at Oxford University. She also wrote With Prehistoric People (1910), about her experiences in Africa after the Boer War.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

British archaeologist KATHERINE ROUTLEDGE (1866-1935) studied at Oxford University. She also wrote With Prehistoric People (1910), about her experiences in Africa after the Boer War.

Product Details

• Paperback: 568 pages
• Publisher: Cosimo Classics (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159605588X
• ISBN-13: 978-1596055889
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,641,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easter Island revealed, November 22, 2002

By 

Claus Hetting (Gentofte, Copenhagen Denmark) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mystery of Easter Island (Mystic Traveller) (Paperback)

In the early 1900's Katherine Routledge sailed from England to Easter Island on the schooner 'Mana', leading a group of experts on the first modern day scientific expedition to uncover the secrets of the island. This book is a first-hand account of the expedition. It includes lots of detail on the famous stone statues (moai), the native people & their legends, the mysterious script (rongo-rongo), the bird cult, and much more. Routledge even managed to learn the local language in the hope that interviewing the natives would shed some light on the island's prehistory.

The book is well written and fun to read. It includes lots of fine illustrations, including photos and drawings, depicting the most important sites. It is definately a must-read for visitors to the island, or just for anyone interested in Easter Island and its strange history.

I fancy the image of Katherine Routledge as a kind of female Indiana Jones. Certainly she was adventurous for a woman of the early part of the century; just getting to the island in a yacht ranks as a mildly swashbuckling achievement. There are also some references in the book that she had already been to East Africa, perhaps before the turn of the century, although I have been unable to find further information on this.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent early view of Easter Island (1914-1915), May 2, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mystery of Easter Island (Mystic Traveller) (Paperback)

The Mystery of Easter Island was originally published in 1919, based upon the research of an English lady, Katherine Routledge, who lived on the island in 1914-15. She learned the Rapanui language and interviewed all the old people she could find who still remembered the past. The more we now know about the archaeology of Easter Island, the better this material looks. Routledge did excavations, camped out all over the island and accumulated vast quantities of research material. A 'must read' for someone going to Easter Island.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible book, July 31, 2004

By 

G. Smallwood "GMS" (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mystery of Easter Island (Mystic Traveller) (Paperback)

I read this book several years ago and it is still one of my all time favorites. Katherine Routledge has an incredible ability to describe the world around her from out fitting the boat to the difficulty of navigating the eastern coast of South America she is able to describe the world in such a way you feel that you are there. The incredible thing about the book is what she is describing takes place in 1916. She is able to give you the feeling that you are taking a global sailing trip and exploring the island first hand.