TCS On-Trip Expert

Terry Hunt

Professor Terry Hunt is a leading scholar of Pacific Islands archaeology and prehistory, with more than four decades of field research from New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Hawaiʻi, Easter Island, and more. His cutting-edge field work and synthetic analyses have rewritten much of what is known, especially among the islands of Polynesia. Through his broad comparative perspective, Dr. Hunt has contributed to understanding how small, dispersed island populations adapted to some of the most isolated landscapes on Earth.

For the past 25 years, Dr. Hunt has focused on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), where his research has fundamentally reshaped interpretations of the island’s history. His work challenges long-standing narratives of ecological collapse, offering new evidence for resilience and innovation. His research on the island’s iconic moai statues has also advanced understanding of their production, transport, and cultural significance.

Dr. Hunt is Professor in the School of Anthropology at University of Arizona. He previously taught at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where over 25 years he developed field programs and trained students in Pacific archaeology. Through his research, teaching, and collaborations with Indigenous communities, he continues to advance interdisciplinary approaches to the archaeology of Pacific Islands.