In the tropical forests of New Guinea, there is a place transporting you over seven or even ten thousand years ago. This place is located on a swamp and called the ancient settlement of Cook.
It is always interesting how people lived in antiquity, what tools they used, or what they did. The ancient artifacts excite sparkles in the eyes, and it is an entire archeological sight – the restored settlement of an ancient people. Surprisingly, many things you see are still in use. New Guinea still has wild tribes.
The Cook settlement is located in the south-eastern part of the island, in the rainforest, on a swamp. So be careful and follow the path.
You can come along the houses looking like the ones of the ancient Indians and imagine the life in tribes. These tribesmen go hunting – here are spears and other weapons. Another group gathers plants and fruits, and there, next to the old hut, someone is going to cook dinner.
For the first time, a journey to the past was made in 1960. That time, the archaeologists found the first evidence of life on the island leading farther and farther. Here you can follow the development of agriculture for 7-10 thousand years.
Everything you learn about the life of the tribes of New Guinea, you can watch on an example. The excavations are permanently taking place on the island – scientists are still trying to find evidence of the Indians’ lives. The settlement of Cook is not deserted, the part of it is occupied by another tribe – Kavelka. They make agriculture, grow coffee, sweet potatoes, and bananas.
It can be one of those eventful and emotional excursions that you will always remember. You will feel everything from excitement to fear!
For 80 years, archaeologists have found evidence of farming in the Cook tribe. It grew fruit and nut trees with edible roots, sugar cane, herbs, bananas.
Around the swamp where the tribe lived, was a dense rainforest. To make the meadows and pastures, the Cook tribe cut down almost the entire forest. Scientists found another ruse. To supply the plants with the necessary quantity of water, the tribe invented the system of drainage channels almost 2 thousand years BC. Over time, you can see how this system has changed.
 | |