34
2 The Genetic Context
genes governing cold adaptation and famine resistance simply belong to the fasterevolving mtDNA and Y-chromosome parts of the genome, though as we have seen
the evolution of famine resistance may involve some of these genes. The genetic
evidence logically implies tens of thousands of years of exposure to the risks of
hypothermia.
There are other arguments against Houghton’s conclusion that Polynesian cold
resistance developed rapidly in Island Melanesia, perhaps over only a few hundred
years. The acknowledged Spice Island base for the Cinnamon Route seems geographically, economically, historically and genetically more likely than a base in
Island Melanesia. The Spice Islands lay poised between two oceans just as for more
than 30,000 years before the last Ice Age flood they had been poised between the
two ancient continents of Sahul and Sundaland. Having had more than 30,000 years
to have evolved cold resistance, already cold-resistant Spice Island mariners could
have sailed the Cinnamon Route by the earliest date historians have proposed for its
establishment (3,500 years ago, J. Innes Miller suggests [38]). In contrast to Island
Melanesians, spice traders from the Spice Islands would have had an obvious motivation for colonizing Madagascar: the establishment of a spice-trading base close to
the major African entrepot in Rhapta which had trading links to Egypt, Europe and
Asia. (Genetic and linguistic evidence relating to the colonizations of Madagascar
are discussed in Chapter 5.)
Houghton’s physiological evidence and modern genetics suggest that the evolution of the Polynesian cold-adapted body type developed in response to millennia
of exposure to life in an oceanic environment. If selective pressures are strong,
mutation might well be faster, but a time scale of over 30,000 years may have been
needed to allow for the evolution and coalescence of the mutations involved. In following chapters we suggest that evolution of cold resistance may have matched the
evolution in spice trading from a local to a regional to an international level. Over
time, increasing resistance to cold and famine would have made longer trading voyages possible. Longer exposure to the risks of hypothermia through longer voyages
would in turn have promoted greater cold adaptation and famine resistance.
Archaeological evidence relating to the long maritime history of the Spice
Islanders is understandably scant. In Chapter 3 we shall consider the available
evidence. But first we must consider the oceanographic context needed for interpreting this evidence. To do so we turn to recent research in the field of palaeooceanography.
References
1. Houghton P (1996) People of the Great Ocean, aspects of human biology of the early Pacific.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge; Houghton P (1990) The adaptive significance of
Polynesian body form. Ann Hum Biol 17(1): 19–32; Houghton P (1991) The early human
biology of the Pacific: some considerations. J Polyn Soc 100(2): 167–196; Houghton P (1991)
Selective influences and morphological variation amongst Pacific homo sapiens. J Hum Evol
21: 49–59; Houghton P (1991) Grim fairy tale, comments on some matters ra in The Hansel
and Gretel Syndrome by N. van Dijk. NZ J Archaeol 13: 91–99
2 The Genetic Context
genes governing cold adaptation and famine resistance simply belong to the fasterevolving mtDNA and Y-chromosome parts of the genome, though as we have seen
the evolution of famine resistance may involve some of these genes. The genetic
evidence logically implies tens of thousands of years of exposure to the risks of
hypothermia.
There are other arguments against Houghton’s conclusion that Polynesian cold
resistance developed rapidly in Island Melanesia, perhaps over only a few hundred
years. The acknowledged Spice Island base for the Cinnamon Route seems geographically, economically, historically and genetically more likely than a base in
Island Melanesia. The Spice Islands lay poised between two oceans just as for more
than 30,000 years before the last Ice Age flood they had been poised between the
two ancient continents of Sahul and Sundaland. Having had more than 30,000 years
to have evolved cold resistance, already cold-resistant Spice Island mariners could
have sailed the Cinnamon Route by the earliest date historians have proposed for its
establishment (3,500 years ago, J. Innes Miller suggests [38]). In contrast to Island
Melanesians, spice traders from the Spice Islands would have had an obvious motivation for colonizing Madagascar: the establishment of a spice-trading base close to
the major African entrepot in Rhapta which had trading links to Egypt, Europe and
Asia. (Genetic and linguistic evidence relating to the colonizations of Madagascar
are discussed in Chapter 5.)
Houghton’s physiological evidence and modern genetics suggest that the evolution of the Polynesian cold-adapted body type developed in response to millennia
of exposure to life in an oceanic environment. If selective pressures are strong,
mutation might well be faster, but a time scale of over 30,000 years may have been
needed to allow for the evolution and coalescence of the mutations involved. In following chapters we suggest that evolution of cold resistance may have matched the
evolution in spice trading from a local to a regional to an international level. Over
time, increasing resistance to cold and famine would have made longer trading voyages possible. Longer exposure to the risks of hypothermia through longer voyages
would in turn have promoted greater cold adaptation and famine resistance.
Archaeological evidence relating to the long maritime history of the Spice
Islanders is understandably scant. In Chapter 3 we shall consider the available
evidence. But first we must consider the oceanographic context needed for interpreting this evidence. To do so we turn to recent research in the field of palaeooceanography.
References
1. Houghton P (1996) People of the Great Ocean, aspects of human biology of the early Pacific.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge; Houghton P (1990) The adaptive significance of
Polynesian body form. Ann Hum Biol 17(1): 19–32; Houghton P (1991) The early human
biology of the Pacific: some considerations. J Polyn Soc 100(2): 167–196; Houghton P (1991)
Selective influences and morphological variation amongst Pacific homo sapiens. J Hum Evol
21: 49–59; Houghton P (1991) Grim fairy tale, comments on some matters ra in The Hansel
and Gretel Syndrome by N. van Dijk. NZ J Archaeol 13: 91–99