Melanesian people lived on the island for over 2000 years before the island was first visited by Europeans. Captain James Cook in 1774 saw the island and renamed it on his second voyage to New Zealand. Cook gave the island its name after seeing the tall native pines (Araucaria columnaris). He never disembarked onto the island, but as he saw signs of inhabitance (smoke) assumed it was inhabited. In the 1840s, Protestant and Catholic missionaries arrived, along with merchants seeking sandalwood.
The French took possession of the island in 1853 at which time the native Kunies converted to the Catholic religion. In 1872, the island became a French penal colony, home to 3,000 political deportees from the Paris Commune.
Sightsedit
The ruins of a penal colony can be seen in the village of Ouro in the west of the island. The water tower of Ouro which was built by prisoners in 1874/75 and renovated in 2005 is still used.
At the cemetery Cimetière des Déportés near Ouro is a pyramid-shaped memorial and the graves of 300 deportees who died between 1872 and 1880.
Ruins of the penal colony in Ouro
Water tower in Ouro
Archaeologyedit
Scattered across the central plateau of the island lie more than 300[2] poorly understood mounds, some of which have been excavated and found to have concrete cores.[2][3] No human remains or man-made objects have been found in the mounds;[2] one snail shell embedded in excavated concrete was carbon-dated to 12,900 ± 450 years old.[4] There is no consensus on what these mounds are, and proposed explanations have included Paleolithic,[5]Neolithic[6] or later human construction,[7][8] natural formations,[9] or prehistoric birds’ nests,[10][11] specifically of the extinct species Sylviornis neocaledoniae.[11]
^ abcChevalier, Luc (1963). "Le problème des tumuli en Nouvelle-Calédonie". Bulletin périodique de la Société des Études mélanésiennes (14–17). Noumea: Société des Études mélanésiennes.
^Golson, Jack (Winter 1961). "The Tumuli of New Caledonia (Report on New Zealand, Western Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Fiji)". Asian Perspectives. 5 (2). University of Hawai'i Press.
^Delibrias, G.; Guillier, M. T.; Labeyrie, J. (1966). "Gif Natural Radiocarbon Measurements II". Radiocarbon. 8: 74–95. doi:10.1017/S0033822200000060. ISSN 0033-8222.
^Shutler, R. (1978). "Radiocarbon Dating and Oceanic Prehistory". Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania. 13 (2–3): 215–28.
^Avias, Jacques (1949). "Contribution a la prehistoire de L'Oceanie: les tumuli des Plateaux de Fer en Nouvelle-Caledonie". Journal de la Societe des Oceanistes (5).
^Golson, Jack (1963). "Rapport sur les fouilles effectuees a l'ile des Pins (Nouvelle Caledonie) de Decembre 1959 li Fevrier 1960". Bulletin périodique de la Société des Études mélanésiennes (14–17).
^Brookfield, H. C.; Hart, Doreen (1971). Melanesia : a Geographical Interpretation of an Island World. London : Methuen.
^Frimigacci, Daniel: ”La prehistoire Neo-caledonienne”. Unpublished PhD thesis (thèse de doctorat), Universite de Paris, 1975
^Sand, Christophe (1996). "Recent Developments in the Study of New Caledonia's Prehistory". Archaeology in Oceania. 31 (2): 45–71. ISSN 0728-4896.
^ abGreen, Roger (1989). "Those mysterious mounds are for the birds". Archaeology in New Zealand. 31 (30). New Zealand Archaeological Association.
External linksedit
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Île des Pins.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Île des Pins.
(in English) www.isle-of-pines.com General and tourist information about the Isle of Pines
isle, pines, caledonia, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, isle, pines, caledonia, news, newspapers, bo. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Isle of Pines New Caledonia news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message The Isle of Pines French Ile des Pins name in Kanak language Kwenyii Kunyie is an island in the Pacific Ocean in the archipelago of New Caledonia an overseas collectivity of France The island is part of the commune municipality of L Ile des Pins in the South Province of New Caledonia The Isle of Pines is nicknamed l ile la plus proche du paradis the closest island to Paradise Isle of PinesNative name Ile des Pins KunyieNickname l ile la plus proche du paradisIle Bayonnaise 1 Isle of Pines New CaledoniaLocation southeast of Grande TerreGeographyArchipelagoNew CaledoniaLength15 km 9 3 mi Width13 km 8 1 mi Highest elevation262 m 860 ft Highest pointpic NgaAdministrationFrance Upi Bay Isle of Pines New Caledonia The island is around 22 37 S 167 29 E 22 617 S 167 483 E 22 617 167 483 and measures 15 km 9 3 mi by 13 km 8 1 mi It lies southeast of Grande Terre New Caledonia s main island and is 100 kilometres 62 mi southeast of the capital Noumea There is one airport code ILP with a 1 097 m 3 599 ft runway The Isle of Pines is surrounded by the New Caledonia Barrier Reef The inhabitants of the island are mainly native Melanesian Kanaks and the population is 2 000 estimated 2006 1989 population 1 465 The island is rich with animal life and is home to unusual creatures such as the crested gecko Correlophus ciliatus and the world s largest gecko Rhacodactylus leachianus The pic Nga is the island s highest point at 262 metres 860 ft elevation River Ouro is the longest river Contents 1 History 2 Sights 3 Archaeology 4 References 5 External linksHistory edit nbsp 1890 map Melanesian people lived on the island for over 2000 years before the island was first visited by Europeans Captain James Cook in 1774 saw the island and renamed it on his second voyage to New Zealand Cook gave the island its name after seeing the tall native pines Araucaria columnaris He never disembarked onto the island but as he saw signs of inhabitance smoke assumed it was inhabited In the 1840s Protestant and Catholic missionaries arrived along with merchants seeking sandalwood The French took possession of the island in 1853 at which time the native Kunies converted to the Catholic religion In 1872 the island became a French penal colony home to 3 000 political deportees from the Paris Commune Sights editThe ruins of a penal colony can be seen in the village of Ouro in the west of the island The water tower of Ouro which was built by prisoners in 1874 75 and renovated in 2005 is still used At the cemetery Cimetiere des Deportes near Ouro is a pyramid shaped memorial and the graves of 300 deportees who died between 1872 and 1880 nbsp Ruins of the penal colony in Ouro nbsp Water tower in OuroArchaeology editScattered across the central plateau of the island lie more than 300 2 poorly understood mounds some of which have been excavated and found to have concrete cores 2 3 No human remains or man made objects have been found in the mounds 2 one snail shell embedded in excavated concrete was carbon dated to 12 900 450 years old 4 There is no consensus on what these mounds are and proposed explanations have included Paleolithic 5 Neolithic 6 or later human construction 7 8 natural formations 9 or prehistoric birds nests 10 11 specifically of the extinct species Sylviornis neocaledoniae 11 References edit Google Maps location a b c Chevalier Luc 1963 Le probleme des tumuli en Nouvelle Caledonie Bulletin periodique de la Societe des Etudes melanesiennes 14 17 Noumea Societe des Etudes melanesiennes Golson Jack Winter 1961 The Tumuli of New Caledonia Report on New Zealand Western Polynesia New Caledonia and Fiji Asian Perspectives 5 2 University of Hawai i Press Delibrias G Guillier M T Labeyrie J 1966 Gif Natural Radiocarbon Measurements II Radiocarbon 8 74 95 doi 10 1017 S0033822200000060 ISSN 0033 8222 Shutler R 1978 Radiocarbon Dating and Oceanic Prehistory Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania 13 2 3 215 28 Avias Jacques 1949 Contribution a la prehistoire de L Oceanie les tumuli des Plateaux de Fer en Nouvelle Caledonie Journal de la Societe des Oceanistes 5 Golson Jack 1963 Rapport sur les fouilles effectuees a l ile des Pins Nouvelle Caledonie de Decembre 1959 li Fevrier 1960 Bulletin periodique de la Societe des Etudes melanesiennes 14 17 Brookfield H C Hart Doreen 1971 Melanesia a Geographical Interpretation of an Island World London Methuen Frimigacci Daniel La prehistoire Neo caledonienne Unpublished PhD thesis these de doctorat Universite de Paris 1975 Sand Christophe 1996 Recent Developments in the Study of New Caledonia s Prehistory Archaeology in Oceania 31 2 45 71 ISSN 0728 4896 a b Green Roger 1989 Those mysterious mounds are for the birds Archaeology in New Zealand 31 30 New Zealand Archaeological Association External links edit nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ile des Pins nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ile des Pins in English www isle of pines com General and tourist information about the Isle of Pines Audio interview with Isle of Pines resident about life on the Isle of Pines Jane s Isle of Pines Page Archived 2019 11 11 at the Wayback Machine Isle of Pines photos nbsp Ile des Pins travel guide from Wikivoyage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Isle of Pines New Caledonia amp oldid 1222992682, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
