Was Thor Heyerdal's Kon Tiki voyage an unintentional decoy to discovering the true origins of the distinctive yet silent statues of Easter Island? In December of 1862 eight ships approached a volcanic island located in the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean. This was the year that the fate of the island's beleagured population was sealed; a population that had evolved in cultural isolation to produce works of art that have become one of the wonders of the world.
Georgia Lee received her Ph.D. in Archaeology from the University of California at Los Angeles, based upon six years of fieldwork on Easter Island. Support for the fieldwork came from the University Research Expeditions Program, University of California, Berkeley. Her Masters degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, is in the field of Primitive Art.
Dr Georgia Lee
Aside from her work on Easter Island, Lee has done extensive archaeological work in Hawaii, documenting petroglyphs in those islands. California research areas include Chumash rock art sites and those of the Modoc, at Lava Beds National Monument. One of her particular interests is conservation and preservation of archaeological sites.
Georgia Lee has published several books on Easter Island, including "The Uncommon Guide to Easter Island" and "Rapa Nui, Island of Memory".
Aside from her work on Easter Island, Lee has done extensive archaeological work in Hawaii, documenting petroglyphs in those islands. California research areas include Chumash rock art sites and those of the Modoc, at Lava Beds National Monument. One of her particular interests is conservation and preservation of archaeological sites.
Text from the Introduction to Rapa Nui, Island of Memory:- Georgia Lee is a natural story-teller with an eye for detail and an ear for nuance. Above all, there is her capacity for shared intimacy. Lee began her fieldwork on Easter Island in 1981, entering into close relationships with the islanders, both men and women. She describes her relationships with the Rapanui people, weaving strands of communal tales together, achieving a tapestry of the island unlike anything else.
Doctor Lee is Editor of the Rapa Nui Journal, published bi-annually.
