The scientific suspicion that the cultural influence of the ancient Greek navigators in the Far East Asia, Australia and Polynesia - Melanesia - Indonesia, does exist for some time.
In November 1999 he released the new edition of his book Mr. Giozefson again by Germany's University of Heidelberg in the German language.
In the new book presented 300 new words with Greek roots, many of which are names of botany and zoology. Spotlight is also the chapters on grammar and culture
and includes a new chapter on the influence of Greek music in the music of Easter Island.
In addition there is extensive reference to clothing, the utensils, the religion, mythology and to ship construction.
- How did you discover the Greek linguistic elements in Polynesian languages?
- I have always had a keen interest in the ancient culture of Easter Island. I had visited the island and later traveled in Polynesia,
where he gathered dictionaries and word lists of Polynesian languages.
Several scholars before me, especially linguists, had noted the unusual and non-Polynesian origin words that remain in today's spoken language of Easter Island.
So I decided to compare these words with all major languages of Asia, America and Europe including the ancient Greek.
- You study the Greek language?
- I studied New Greek and possess basic knowledge etymological and grammatical structure of ancient Greek.
Eight years of studying the languages of the Pacific
- Where emanates your interest in such a specialized study?
- As a linguist and as a musician, fascinated by audible types and the use of languages as well as the musical 'vehicle' communication.
Since I visited Easter Island in 1978, I decided to research the spoken language in order to find possible cultural roots of ancient civilization.
- How many years have you spent in study and what are your main conclusions?
- It took about eight years to get the first book «Greek Linguistic Elements in The Polynesian Languages - Hellenicum Pacificum» published in 1987.
Subsequently, and for five years worked for several new enhanced version of my book, the issued these days again from the German University of Heidelberg
(C. Winter Universitatsverlag, Heidelberg, Germany).
My main conclusions are summarized in that eastern Polynesian languages (especially the language of Easter Island)
have an important substrate grammatical structure and words, which have their roots in the ancient Greek language, especially in archaic types.
(See. On page "The GREEK LANGUAGE").
Moreover the culture of Easter Island has many ancient Greek and Egyptian prototypes, referred extensively to the newest version of my book.
Through Peru - Bolivia became the Greek penetration
- How do you explain the Greek cultural influence in Polynesia but also in Peru, which also referring to?
- The bodies of Greek culture, who inhabited the eastern Polynesia, apparently came from the area that is modern Peru and Bolivia,
since the culture of Easter Island boasts numerous similarities with the aforementioned areas in the pre-Inca era .
Moreover the ocean currents move in a south-westerly direction the coast of Peru to the south-east Polynesia.
These Greek-speaking inhabitants spoke ancient Greek and also carrying an archaic Greek culture (with numerous additional items Egyptian),
who reminds Cyprus and Cyclades islands such as Naxos and Milos during the same period.
- Excluding the possibility of the Greek cultural influence is much older?
- There are linguistic and archaeological evidence (which are presented in the new edition of my book), that might well have multiple migrations in ancient Peru
and Easter Island.
For example, the architecture Inca wall constructions using "zig-zag" and trapezoidal inputs, which are reminiscent of the Mycenaean prototypes. So they may have been pre-migrations ancient Greeks in southern America.
- How do you explain the potential spread of the Greeks on such a scale in ancient times?
- Greek settlement in Sicily, southern Italy and parts of Spain was possible thanks to numerous innovations in shipbuilding and navigation systems> Moreover,
the Greek tin trade with England (which appears to date from 1000 BC) familiarized Greek navigators to the Straits of Gibraltar (the so-called "Pillars of Hercules")
and the coast of Morocco.
From this point on the southwest flows easily transferred vessels in the Caribbean or off the northern coast of South America:
walking distance to pre-Incan cultural centers of Peru and Bolivia. (see. on page "ANCIENT GREEKS IN AMERICA")
And influence of ancient Greek music
- You noticed similarities between Polynesian and Greek music?
- My new book contains a chapter on ancient music of Easter Island, which was rescued by Ramon Campbell in 1960 and published in his book
«La herencia musical Rapanui».
There are many parallels between the earlier music of Easter Island and the melodies of Nazca in southern Peru on the one hand and of ancient music on the other.
- What are the reactions of the academic community in the publication of your book?
- The minimum academia reactions I received were mixed. From Greece was particularly enthusiastic reception of my study
by Professor of the University of Thessaloniki Mr. T. Kazaki.
- You travel to Greece? What is your opinion on contemporary Greece and the Greeks?
- I traveled several times to Greece and Cyprus three. In my opinion it is good for Greece that belongs to the European community.
I hope that the Cyprus problem will find a peaceful solution, that Greece is not obliged to spend large sums for defense.
To this end I have recorded and distributed to all stakeholders plan for peaceful resolution of the Cyprus problem.
- What is the contribution of ancient Greek thought and culture?
- The Greek culture has contributed uniquely to the promotion of philosophy, political systems, education and technology.
He sets the stage for dramatic art and music of the western.
Without the Greek culture we would not know the culture, as it exists today.
