Pacific Encounters brings together for the first time many stunning Polynesian objects collected by voyagers and missionaries during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Illustrated are over 270 items gathered from the major regions of Polynesia. Many are from the British Museum, which houses fine and rare material from the expeditions of Captain Cook, Captain Vancouver, and members of the London Missionary Society. Ranging from massive images of gods to small fish hooks, they are discussed in the contexts of their local use and meanings, and their journeys to museums all over the world. These pieces have remarkable stories to tell of encounters between humans and their gods, between Polynesians and Europeans, their respective chiefs and priests, beliefs, and technologies. Pacific Encounters is a groundbreaking book that conveys the wonder and excitement not only of the objects themselves, but of the fascinating Polynesian cultures that produced them.

Vols. for 1892-1941 contain the transactions and proceedings of the society.

"Many of the papers in this volume present new and innovative research into the processes of maritime colonisation, processes that affect archaeological contexts from islands to continents. Others shift focus from process to the archaeology of maritime places from the Bering to the Torres Straits, providing highly detailed discussions of how living by and with the sea is woven into all elements of human life from subsistence to trade and to ritual. Of equal importance are more abstract discussions of islands as natural places refashioned by human occupation, either through the introduction of new organisms or new systems of production and consumption. These transformation stories gain further texture (and variety) through close examinations of some of the more significant consequences of colonisation and migration, particularly the creation of new cultural identities. A final set of papers explores the ways in which the techniques of archaelogical sciences have provided insights into the fauna of the islands and the human history of such places."--Provided by publisher.

Exploring the relationship between museums and biographies, this collection of essays examines examples from the early 19th century to the present day.

The humble fish hook derives its form from its function: to catch fish. But in cultures where fishing is central to the way of life, the crafting of fish hooks is elevated to a form of art.Fish Hooks of the Pacific Islands brings together the finest specimens from private collections all over the world. Included are more than three hundred newly commissioned photographs showing over six hundred fish hooks at their actual size, accompanied by details on their features and provenance. This is the first comprehensive catalog of Pacific Island fish hooks in more than eighty years, and it brings together vast amounts of new information, including recent discoveries and updated research. In addition, the book includes contributions by Sydney Picasso and oceanic art expert Anthony J. P. Meyer. Opulently illustrated and unprecedented in its comprehensiveness, Fish Hooks of the Pacific Islands offers an incredible amount of information and will be essential to scholars and collectors of tribal or Pacific Island art.