Ancestral Polynesian society

Ancestral Polynesian society appears on the timeline as a people or culture of Polynesia (Oceania) from c. 850 BCE to 1000 CE, a span of 1,849 years. Its people spoke Austronesian languages (Malay, Javanese, Cham, Tagalog, Malagasy, Polynesian, Maori).

Lapita settlers in Tonga and Samoa developed the language, crops and customs of Polynesian culture during a pause of well over a thousand years before voyaging further east.

See Ancestral Polynesian society on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

c. 850 BCE to 1000 CE

Duration

1,849 years

Type

People or culture

Region

Polynesia, Oceania

Language family

Austronesian

Came from

• Lapita culture c. 1600 to 500 BCE

Became

• Samoan chiefdoms c. 1000 to 1900 CE
• Tu'i Tonga Empire c. 950 to 1865 CE
• Society Islands chiefdoms c. 1000 to 1788 CE
• Hawaiian chiefdoms c. 1000 to 1795 CE
• Rapa Nui society c. 1200 to 1888 CE

Events in Oceania during its time

• 850 BCE First settlers reach Tonga
• 1000 Polynesians settle East Polynesia

Neighbours in Oceania

• Tu'i Tonga Empire c. 950 to 1865 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Ghana Empire (Wagadu) c. 300 to 1200 CE, North and West Africa
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE, Europe
• Kingdom of Aksum c. 100 to 940 CE, North and West Africa
• Srivijaya c. 650 to 1377 CE, Southeast Asia
• Moche (Mochica) c. 100 to 800 CE, South America
• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE, North and West Africa

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