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|  29th September 2008, 07:19 PM | #1 | 
| Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK 
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|  18th April 2009, 06:38 PM | #2 | 
| Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK 
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			I have just recevieved a book "The Traditional Pottery of Papua New Guinea" Okay the book is not about weapons however it does cast a very bright light on trading. We accept the trade of European steel weapons and lets call it the Red Sea trade of steel weapons to areas without the skill to produce quite the same weapon or if not so much the skill but quantity. The trading could help explain why one cannot point to another club exactly the same. As mentioned before it may seem strange to us why a nodule of flint might be so valuable. This series of picture shows the scale of trading. They also show how flint would be traded to islands that naturally have no flint. As I am a bit dumb and slow I will do this by a series of replies to this post. | 
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|  18th April 2009, 06:49 PM | #3 | 
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			This picture shows pots ready to be traded by the Muto people, an annual trading festival and expidition known as "Hiri"  Also a picture of the trading canoe.  The pictures are turn of the 19/20th century. These expeditions included the Torres Straits Islands, we know from previous post of the trade of flint from Australia from Cape York to the Torres Straits possibly other islands. I am sure they could put a few stone in this trading canoe even if it was just balast. | 
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|  18th April 2009, 06:55 PM | #4 | 
| Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK 
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			These pictures show what lengths some people have to go to to obtain substances we just do not think about.  A there and back trip from Nabwageta Island to Fergusson Island  of say 40KM must put some value on the clay as raw material.  Could put a few stones in the bottom of the canoe?
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|  18th April 2009, 06:58 PM | #5 | 
| Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK 
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			Taking the goodies home to the far flung Islands.  Could put a few stones in the canoe here too.
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|  18th April 2009, 07:51 PM | #6 | |
| Member Join Date: Dec 2004 
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 I'd guess that trade's an old, old human phenomenon. That said, it's still fun to see those pictures. F | |
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|  18th April 2009, 08:00 PM | #7 | 
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			Fearn, Researching "Hiri trade" I have found stuff that suggests, not only according the the book on pottery is it an annual festival as a prelude to a trading enterprise. It seems there may be such a thing as the Hiri curculation rather like the the trade winds of the Atlantic sea trade. | 
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|  18th April 2009, 10:47 PM | #8 | 
| Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 
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			A true 'Waterworld' , Tim .     But .... Without Dennis Hopper ..   | 
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