DOCSLIB.ORG

Lapita Pottery and a Lower Sea Level in Western Samoai "0

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Lapita Pottery and a Lower Sea Level in Western Samoai Pacific Science (1975), Vol. 29, No.4, p. 309-315 Printed in Great Britain Lapita Pottery and a Lower Sea Level in Western SamoaI "0 R. Co GREEN 2 AND HORACE G. RICHARDS3 ABSTRACT: Radiocarbon dates are presented supporting previous estimates of a 2800- to 3000-year B.P. age for a collection of Lapita pottery sherds recovered by dredging a now-submerged coastal settlement on the island of Upolu in Western Samoa. New data describing a much enlarged collection are discussed in relation to previously reported materials, and the question of possible changes of sea level as the mechanism for submergence is evaluated. IN RECENT YEARS, Polynesian origins have in­ The recent discovery of other assemblages creasingly become identified with certain early with Eastern Lapita-style pottery in Ha'apai, sites that range from New Britain to Tonga and Vava'u, and Niuatoputapu in the Tongan group Samoa and that contain a type ofpottery known (Davidson 1971, Kaeppler 1973, Rogers 1974), as Lapita (Figure 1). Excavations of sites in the in conjunction with the Samoan discovery, Tongan, Fijian, New Caledonian, New Hebri­ implies that early Eastern Lapita populations des, and Santa Cruz groups and on small islands were resident throughout the Fijian, Tongan, off the coasts of New Britain and New Ireland and Samoan area before any distinctive develop­ have provided data leading to the definition of ment of Lapita culture in the Polynesian direc­ an associated artifact assemblage-perhaps tion took place. The recovery ofa related plain more properly termed a "cultural complex," pottery, as in Samoa, from a site on Futuna because the array of artifacts from these sites is (B. G. Biggs, personal communication to R. Co more varied than the pottery and is not always Green, Auckland Museum no. 46332, 46371) as distinctive. Thus, it is the easily recognized indicates that in at least three island groups of decorated pottery in every site (Figure 2) that the region-Samoa, Tonga, and Futuna-local has provided the initial means of linking these developments of Polynesian-type cultures oc­ materials. curredfrom founding Lapitapopulations. How­ The history of the identification of Lapita ever, the sole island group for which we can assemblages as the ancestral cultural complex trace continued continuity of cultural develop­ from which the earliest Polynesian cultural ment to present-day Polynesians is in Western assemblages were derived has been reviewed by Samoa (Green and Davidson 1974: 224), as the Golson (1971), Groube (1971), and Green last 2000 years of the Tongan sequence is but (1973). Until recently, however, archaeological little known and archaeological investigation evidence for this hypothesis has rested largely in Futuna is being undertaken only now (P. V. on the materials recovered from Fiji and Tonga. Kirch personal communication to R. Co Green). The discovery, therefore, ofsimilar materials in Thus, in the present circumstances, a Lapita site Samoa has strengthened considerably the elaims in Western Samoa that extends the sequence of made for the same antiquity ofsettlement there that island group back another 700 years to an as in the other two island groups and for the early Eastern Lapita-style pottery assemblage is development of a distinctive Polynesian cul­ of considerable importance to the documenta­ tural assemblage in Samoa itself from local tion of Polynesian origins. assemblages of the Lapita complex. Assistance in the identification and interpreta­ J Manuscript received 6 January 1975. tion ofthe mollusks was given by Dr. R. Tucker Z The UniversityofAuckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand. Abbott of the Delaware Museum of Natural 3 The Academy of Natural Sciences, Nineteenth and History in Greenville, Delaware. the Parkway, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. 309 20-2 310 c. ~ - "'~ew Ireland PHOENIX ..........~~ Ambitle GROUP ." "'~,.~ fo .. q New Britain ~,~SOLOMON IS. " . ELLICE IS.·, Ts> KELAU ~~~.S\ ~. I .:. • ~ IS. ~ ~ Reefs", ····SANTA CRUZ ~woins 'e:::..- It?t.... Nendo • Roturno Uvea BANK~~': Futuna I " S';\~i Niuofo'o Malo/~~ /'Niuatoputapu NEW ;!;..- AUSTRALIA • HEBRIDE~ ..",,.-Vovou " CI TONGA. .Niue NEW" ,. • •"..:Haa pal CALEDONI~~ ·:·~.LOYALTY .... fongatapu r~"" ISLANDS o 0, '. FIGURE 1. Present distribution of sites that have been assigned to the Lapita cultural complex. FIGURE 2. Design of flat-bottomed Lapita dish from the BS-RL-2 site, Reef Islands, Santa Cruz group. Lapita Pottery-GREEN AND RICHARDS 311 from earlier Lapita assemblages to those with Background ofSamoan Discovery Polynesian Plain Ware took place in Tonga, and In 1964, when only the outlines of a 2000­ only after these occurred did a more Polynesian­ year-long sequence for Western Samoa were like cultural tradition become transferred and known, it was necessary to argue that materials established in Samoa and perhaps in other belonging to the first third of the Samoan islands of West Polynesia. sequence had not as yet been recovered. It There are now several grounds on which this was made conditional on a postulated 2000­ conclusion may be challenged, grounds quite year antiquity of settlement in East Polynesia apart from the discovery of Lapita pottery in and a hypothesis that East Polynesia came from Samoa. One is the increasing probability that West Polynesia (Green and Davidson, unpub­ the earliest sites associated with pottery in the lished preliminary report). As investigations Marquesas date to before 300 A.D. and, in fact, continued from 1965 to 1967, the requirement have not been investigated (Green 1974: 247). for a Samoan sequence longer than 2000 years The second is the probability that present was reinforced by the discovery of additional coastal settlements on the raised beach sands of sites with Polynesian Plain Ware pottery. Western Samoa date from the last 1500 years Polynesian Plain Ware may be distinguished (Green and Davidson 1974: 222-223), suggest­ from ceramics of the Lapita series by its total ing that the most likely places for earlier coastal lack of the use of the dentate stamp in decora­ settlement have not been examined. The third tion and the confinement of such decoration as is the hypothesis that some changes in Lapita does occur (less than 3 percent and in some artifacts in the Polynesian direction recorded in cases none) to the rims of vessels, In addition, the pottery, adzes, and shell tools and orna­ there is a concentration on several simple bowl ments in Samoa are, in part, to be explained by forms ofvarious sizes and shapes at the expense the crossing of the andesite line and the need to of open-mouthed subglobular pots and an adapt (in contrast to Fiji and Tonga) to the bio­ almost complete lack of shouldered and flat­ geographically most impoverished part of the bottomed vessels of types common in Lapita Pacific (Green 1974: 267, 275). assemblages, 'This means that continuity is pro­ vided by the largely unstudied and undecorated The Ferry Berth Site Lapita vessels of bowl shape. Also the spatial distribution ofPolynesian Plain Ware is Tonga, Our original information on the first collec­ Samoa, the Marquesas, and probably Futuna, tions of pottery from the site at the Mulifanua and its time depth is approximately 4th century end of the island of Upolu and Western Samoa B.C. to 3rd century A.D., which contrasts with was limited to some 563 sherds, of which some the island Melanesian distribution of Lapita 8 percent were decorated, and to some general materials whose time depth is prior to the 4th comments on its location. More detailed records century B.C. made by Jennings (1974), in cooperation with Yet, the lack of direct evidence of earlier the project engineer, T. T. Hassall (who was in coastal assemblages more closely related to the charge of the blasting and dredging to create a Lapita examples found in Tonga and Fiji made turning basin and berth for the interisland it difficult to furnish strong support for this ferries), have revealed the precise location and position, Thus, it was possible for Groube stratigraphic context (Figure 3). All evidence (1971 : 279) to argue that current archaeological indicates that the site was an elongated settle­ examination of Samoa made unlikely the state­ ment on a former coral-sand beach located ment that the first 3rd ofSamoan prehistory was parallel to the present-day shoreline, a beach as yet unexplored, and to see no reason why which is now approximately 2.7 meters below Samoan settlement had occurred earlier than mean sea level. It would appear that refuse from 300-200 B.C. unless secure dates for East Poly­ the settlement was submerged and sealed in nesian settlement were pushed back before the fairly quickly through a rise in sea level in then-accepted datings of 400 A.D. This allowed relation to the land, so that deposits were little Groube to conclude that the initial changes disturbed and most sherds not badly eroded. 312 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Volume 29, October 1975 LAGOON MILE oEI=~~I~==:::l KM 250~ I' -- ...... _- ---I (no scale) MAIN SEA LEV EL TURNING BASIN 5' WATER ~~~~~~~2~1/~11~.CEMENTED ~ CORAL CRUST ...... :~'.'. BLACK SAND ...... .... ...­ ...... --- ZONE POTTERY POTTE RY IN BLACK SILTY / CONCEN. 15' CORAL SAND WITHIN ,/ CORAL SAND '(. ___D~SHED LINES / / ,. BASALT ...... PEBBLES 50' BOULDERS o I---l 15.2 M SOLID BASALT FIGURE 3. Location and geological context of Ferry Berth site, Western Samoa. The problem of whether the changes were sherds, of which 4.1 percent are decorated. movements ofland or sea level or both has not Among the Plain Ware sherds were 873 pieces been resolved. ofinterest belonging to rims, necks, shoulders, More recent collections from dredging in the and bases ofa variety ofvessels oftypical Lapita turning basin have provided an additional 4288 forms. It is probable that the percentage of Lapita Pottery-GREEN AND RICHARDS 313 decorated ware is somewhat lower than it within the past 6000 years.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • High-Resolution Bathymetric Survey of Samoa
    EU-SOPAC Project Report 112 Reducing Vulnerability of Pacific ACP States SAMOA TECHNICAL REPORT High-Resolution Bathymetric Survey Fieldwork Undertaken from 27 January to 1 March 2004 October 2008 Western Samoa three-dimensional Digital Elevation Model Prepared by: Jens Krüger and Salesh Kumar SOPAC Secretariat May 2008 PACIFIC ISLANDS APPLIED GEOSCIENCE COMMISSION c/o SOPAC Secretariat Private Mail Bag GPO, Suva FIJI ISLANDS http://www.sopac.org Phone: +679 338 1377 Fax: +679 337 0040 www.sopac.org [email protected] Important Notice This report has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Community; however, the views expressed herein must never be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Community. Samoa: High-Resolution Bathymetry EU EDF-SOPAC Reducing Vulnerability of Pacific ACP States – iii TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 2 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Geographic Situation .................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Geological Setting ...................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Previous Bathymetry Compilations............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • And Taewa Māori (Solanum Tuberosum) to Aotearoa/New Zealand
    Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author. Traditional Knowledge Systems and Crops: Case Studies on the Introduction of Kūmara (Ipomoea batatas) and Taewa Māori (Solanum tuberosum) to Aotearoa/New Zealand A thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of AgriScience in Horticultural Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand Rodrigo Estrada de la Cerda 2015 Kūmara and Taewa Māori, Ōhakea, New Zealand i Abstract Kūmara (Ipomoea batatas) and taewa Māori, or Māori potato (Solanum tuberosum), are arguably the most important Māori traditional crops. Over many centuries, Māori have developed a very intimate relationship to kūmara, and later with taewa, in order to ensure the survival of their people. There are extensive examples of traditional knowledge aligned to kūmara and taewa that strengthen the relationship to the people and acknowledge that relationship as central to the human and crop dispersal from different locations, eventually to Aotearoa / New Zealand. This project looked at the diverse knowledge systems that exist relative to the relationship of Māori to these two food crops; kūmara and taewa. A mixed methodology was applied and information gained from diverse sources including scientific publications, literature in Spanish and English, and Andean, Pacific and Māori traditional knowledge. The evidence on the introduction of kūmara to Aotearoa/New Zealand by Māori is indisputable. Mātauranga Māori confirms the association of kūmara as important cargo for the tribes involved, even detailing the purpose for some of the voyages.
    [Show full text]
  • Commentary on "Diffusionists" and Legitimate Aims in Polynesian Prehistory
    Commentary On "Diffusionists" and Legitimate Aims in Polynesian Prehistory Received 6July 1983 PETER BELLWOOD RECENTLY had the rather unpleasant experience ofreading Alan Howard's review (AP 22: 221-228) of The Prehistory of Polynesia, edited by Jesse Jennings. A number of I contributors to this volume, including myself, are described in this review in a seemingly derogatory fashion as "diffusionists;' partly I suspect because our papers have not been centrally concerned with Howard's "game;' i.e. with the relationships between ecology and cultural adaptation in Polynesian prehistory, or, as Howard phrases it, with "the relative contributions of cultural templates and ecological constraints to various social developments." I wish to take issue with Howard's stance on two accounts; the first concerns the correct use ofthe emotion-charged term "diffusionist," and the second concerns Howard's appar­ ent refusal to consider, as valid fields ofconcern for prehistorians, any approaches which do not fall within the rules ofthe above "game;' which he, as a social anthropologist, evi­ dently considers to be "so much damn fun." In connection with the first issue, the term "diffusion;' as used in the archaeological lit­ erature with which I am familiar, refers to a process ofconsiderable conceptual vagueness by which particular cultural traits or trait-combinations spread from one area to another. Usually in the Polynesian archaeological literature these traits emerge as various items of material culture, such as adze types, art styles, crops, domestic animals, and so forth. Such diffusion, in the few cases where it can actually be demonstrated to have occurred (and where inheritance from a common ancestor or local convergent adaptation can be ruled out as explanations for similarities), mayor may not involve human migration, and other nonmigratory processes such as trade or simple voyaging contact between neighboring Peter Bellwood is a member ofthe Department ofPrehistory and Anthropology, School ofGeneral Studies, the Australian National University.
    [Show full text]
  • Solar Power Development Project
    DRAFT Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: 49339-001 June 2017 SAM: Solar Power Development Project Prepared by Sun Pacific Energy Ltd This initial environmental is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 4 II. POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................ 4 III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................. 5 A. Project Significance ........................................................................................................... 5 B. Site Description .................................................................................................................. 6 C. Project Schedule ................................................................................................................ 7 D. Project Components .........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • 2.1.4 Samoa Port of Mulifanua
    2.1.4 Samoa Port of Mulifanua Port Overview Mulifanua is a village on the north-western tip of the island of Upolu. Mulifanua wharf is the main ferry terminal for inter-island vehicle and passenger travel across the Apolima Strait between Upolu and the island of Savai'i. The government's joint venture company Samoa Shipping Corporation (SSC) operates the ferry service, seven days a week, between Mulifanua and Salelologa at the east end of Savai'i Island. A one-way trip between the two islands takes about 90 minutes. The ferry usually runs every two hours during the day. SSC is also responsible for management of the port . The port is utilised solely as a ferry terminal, and as such there are no facilities at the port other than a passenger terminal, ticket office and roll on roll off wharf. In 2018 Mulifanau had an upgrade completed on the passenger and bus terminal. As a result of drifting sand, dredging operation is being planned to maintain channel width and depth. Port website: http://www.samoashipping.com/destinations/mulifanua Key port information may also be found at: http://www.maritime-database.com Port Location and Contact Country Samoa Province or District Upolu Island, Aiga-i-le-Tai district Nearest Town or City Mulifanau with Distance from Port (Village at the port) Port's Complete Name Port of Mulifanau Latitude -13.830154 Longitude -172.036398 Managing Company or Port Authority Samoa Shipping Company Management Contact Person Pipi Ioane Fomai ([email protected]) Nearest Airport and Airlines with Frequent International Arrivals/Departures Faleolo International Airport Air NZ, Virgin Australia, Samoa Airlines.
    [Show full text]
  • SAMOA AVIATION INVESTMENT PROJECT Public Disclosure Authorized
    GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA SAMOA AIRPORT AUTHORITY Public Disclosure Authorized SAMOA AVIATION INVESTMENT PROJECT Public Disclosure Authorized PACIFIC AVIATION INVESTMENT PROGRAMME FINAL REPORT Public Disclosure Authorized Report Prepared for: World Bank Samoa Airport Authority Report Prepared by: Public Disclosure Authorized On Behalf of: Chief Executive Officer Samoa Airport Authority Date Issued: OCTOBER 2013 Samoa Aviation Investment Project/EMP/SA October 2013 PACIFIC AVIATION INVESTMENT PROGRAMME, FALEOLO, UPOLU ISLAND, SAMOA FINAL DRAFT REPORT Acknowledgment The team wishes to formally acknowledge all those interviewed and consulted and especially the support of the following organisations Land Transport Authority Ministry of Women Community and Social Development Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Ministry of Works Transport and Infrastructure Nuanua O le Alofa Samoa Bureau of Statistics Samoa Land Corporation Samoa Trust Estates Corporation Samoa Water Authority Village mayors and communities of Satapuala, Satui and Mulifanua Samoa Airport Authority ii Samoa Aviation Investment Project/EMP/SA October 2013 PACIFIC AVIATION INVESTMENT PROGRAMME, FALEOLO, UPOLU ISLAND, SAMOA FINAL DRAFT REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ………………………..……………………………………………………………………. iv 1 The Team 2 Approach/Methodology 3 EMP and SA 4 Overall Findings 5 Priority Consideration 6 Final Remarks A Annexes as per Terms of Reference………………………………………………………………..vii 1 Terms of Reference...................................................................................................................vii
    [Show full text]
  • Pacific Islanders and Amerindian Relatedness According to HLA Autosomal Genes
    44 International Journal of Modern Anthropology Int. J. Mod. Anthrop. (2014) 7: 44 - 67 Available online at: www.ata.org.tn ; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ijma.v1i7.2 Original Synthesis Report Pacific Islanders and Amerindian relatedness according to HLA autosomal genes Antonio Arnaiz-Villena1, Cristina Areces1, Mercedes Enríquez-de-Salamanca1, Sedeka Abd-El-Fatah-Khalil2, Javier Marco1, Ester Muñiz1, Mercedes Fernández-Honrado2, Manuel Martín Villa1, Diego Rey1 Antonio Arnaiz-Villena is presently Head of Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Complutense University, Madrid, Spain. He has been as Research Fellow in the Middlesex Hospital and The London Hospital, London, UK for 9 years. He has published more than 350 papers in international magazines and 8 books in Immunology, Immunogenetics and Human and Bird Population Genetics. He has directed 48 PhD theses. E-mail: [email protected]. Web page: http://chopo.pntic.mec.es/biolmol/ 1Departament of Immunology, University Complutense, Madrid Regional Blood Center, Madrid, Spain 2Departament of Haematology, Madrid Regional Blood Center, Madrid, Spain Abstract - Americas peopling has recently been explained based only on genetic data. While different First America inhabitants’ ethnic groups, Amerindians, Na-Dene speakers, Aleuts and Eskimo there exist, there is no either genetic, cultural or anthropological homogeneity within these groups. In the present work, we have particularly addressed the relatedness of First America Inhabitants with Pacific Islanders by using autosomal genetic markers: the HLA alleles. HLA is the most polymorphic human genetic system accounting for 9,438 alleles; this is most useful for comparing populations relatedness. Ethnic groups of Pacific Islanders and First America Inhabitants have been used.
    [Show full text]
  • Geological Subsidence and Sinking Islands: The
    1 Symposium for W. Dickinson – SAA 2015 “Geological subsidence and sinking Islands: the case of Manono (Samoa)” Christophe Sand1, Jacques Bolé1, David Baret1, André-John Ouetcho1, Fiona Petchey2, Alan Hogg2 Tautala Asaua3 Abstract W. Dickinson, as part of his wide study of the geological history of the Pacific islands, has proposed in a series of papers to explainlinked the unique case of the deeply submerged Lapita site of Mulifanua in Western Upolu (Samoa), as linked to the slow subsidence of Upolu Island. Recent archaeological research on the neighbouring small island of Manono, has brought new and detailed data on this geological process. A series of new dates has allowed us to define chronologically the speed of the subsidence and demonstrateas well as the massive environmental changes that the local population had to adapt to over the past 2500 years. 1. Institute of Archaeology of New Caledonia and the Pacific (IANCP) 2. Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, University of Waikato 3. Center for Samoan Studies, National University of Samoa 2 Introduction The geological diversity of the Pacific region defies any simple categorization. The region is, divided between different tectonic plates and, cut in two on its western side by the active “belt of fire”, with iIslands ranking being derived from continental fragments to old eroding or still active volcanic summits to simple coral aAtolls, defies any simple categorization. Volcanic activity, earthquakes and possible tsunami-related events, associated to episodes of extreme weather devastation through cyclones/typhoons or prolonged droughts make Oceania a region that often defies the idyllic image built by Western imagination.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rare Plants of Samoa JANUARY 2011
    The Rare Plants of Samoa JANUARY 2011 BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION LESSONS LEARNED TECHNICAL SERIES 2 BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION LESSONS LEARNED TECHNICAL SERIES 2 The Rare Plants of Samoa Biodiversity Conservation Lessons Learned Technical Series is published by: Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and Conservation International Pacific Islands Program (CI-Pacific) PO Box 2035, Apia, Samoa T: + 685 21593 E: [email protected] W: www.conservation.org Conservation International Pacific Islands Program. 2011. Biodiversity Conservation Lessons Learned Technical Series 2: The Rare Plants of Samoa. Conservation International, Apia, Samoa Author: Art Whistler, Isle Botanica, Honolulu, Hawai’i Design/Production: Joanne Aitken, The Little Design Company, www.thelittledesigncompany.com Series Editors: James Atherton and Leilani Duffy, Conservation International Pacific Islands Program Conservation International is a private, non-profit organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501c(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. ISBN 978-982-9130-02-0 © 2011 Conservation International All rights reserved. OUR MISSION Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature for the well-being of humanity This publication is available electronically from Conservation International’s website: www.conservation.org ABOUT THE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION LESSONS LEARNED TECHNICAL SERIES This document is part of a technical report series on conservation projects funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the Conservation International Pacific Islands Program (CI-Pacific). The main purpose of this series is to disseminate project findings and successes to a broader audience of conservation professionals in the Pacific, along with interested members of the public and students.
    [Show full text]
  • Change in the Agricultural Land Use in West Upolu
    UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII LIBRARY CHANGE IN THE AGRICULTURAL LAND USE IN WEST UPOLU WESTERN SAMOA THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OP UNIVERSITY OP HAWAII IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OP MASTER OF ARTS IN GEOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 1967 By Nevin A. Bryant Thesis Committee: Peter N. D. Pirie, Chairman Robert M. Warner Forrest R. Pitts H^unA 635223 1 We certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is satisfactory in scope and quality as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts in Geography. THESIS COMMITTEE TABLE OP CONTENTS Page LIST OP TABLES.................................... lv LIST OP F I G U R E S .................................. vi GLOSSARY OP SAMOAN TERMS ........................ Viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION................. 1 CHAPTER II. THE PATTERN OP VILLAGE AGRICULTURE TODAY................ 8 The Land Tenure S y s t e m .... 8 The Pattern of Land Use ...... 16 CHAPTER III. SAMOAN AGRICULTURE PRIOR TO FOREIGN ADMINISTRATION.......... 28 The Pre-Contact Period .......... 28 Missionaries, Traders, and Wars . 31 CHAPTER IV. ADMINISTRATION RULE PRIOR TO WORLD WAR I I .................... 39 Stability Under German Rule 1900-1914 39 The New Zealand Occupation and Mandate until 1926 ....... 43 The Mau and the Depression 195^1936 ...................... 53 The Period Prior to World War II (1936-1942)............ 57 CHAPTER V. WORLD WAR II AND POSTWAR CHANGE . 60 The United States Armed Forces Occupation .............. 60 Postwar Agricultural Change .... 62 CHAPTER VI. THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND CROP ECOLOGY OP WEST UPOLU ............ 75 Climate.......................... 75 So l i s........... 81 Crop Requirements................ 85 The Yearly Cycle of Planting and H a r v e s t i n g ..............
    [Show full text]
  • Geoarchaeological Context of Holocene Subsidence at the Ferry Berth Lapita Site, Mulifanua, Upolu, Samoa
    GEA(Wiley) INTERACTIVE Geoarchaeological Context of Holocene Subsidence at the Ferry Berth Lapita Site, Mulifanua, Upolu, Samoa William R. Dickinson Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Roger C. Green Department of Anthropology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1, New Zealand The 1973 discovery of an underwater archaeological site during dredging for a ferry landing at Mulifanua on Upolu raised important unanswered questions about the prehistory of Samoa, particularly the evolution of Holocene shorelines and relative local sea levels. A cultural horizon yielding Lapita potsherds, the only decorated Lapita assemblage yet found in Samoa and dating to ca. 2.8 ka, lies at a depth of 2.25 m below modern sea level beneath a capping of cemented paleobeachrock. With ¯uctuating hydro-isostatic sea level taken into account, the sherd occurrence implies subsidence of a former coastline by ca. 4 m at a mean rate of 1.4 mm/yr. Shoreline features on both Upolu and nearby Savai'i are fully compatible with bulk Holocene subsidence. We attribute the observed subsidence to down¯exure of the lithosphere from volcano loading centered on the Savai'i locus of historic volcanism, and conclude that any other Lapita sites that may exist in Samoa have subsided by a comparable amount. Al- though the Samoan linear volcanic chain resembles other Paci®c hotspot tracks where active volcano loading is con®ned to their southeastern ends, the most voluminous Holocene erup- tions in Samoa have occurred on Savai'i at the northwestern end of the exposed island chain. Samoan volcanism has evidently been in¯uenced by lateral ¯exure of the Paci®c plate as it moves past the northern extension of the Tonga subduction zone, and the active volcanism is apparently controlled by a longitudinal rift, which transects both Upolu and Savai'i and is superimposed upon older volcanic edi®ces that may record earlier hotspot volcanism.
    [Show full text]
  • Terra Australis 26
    terra australis 26 Terra Australis reports the results of archaeological and related research within the south and east of Asia, though mainly Australia, New Guinea and island Melanesia — lands that remained terra australis incognita to generations of prehistorians. Its subject is the settlement of the diverse environments in this isolated quarter of the globe by peoples who have maintained their discrete and traditional ways of life into the recent recorded or remembered past and at times into the observable present. Since the beginning of the series, the basic colour on the spine and cover has distinguished the regional distribution of topics as follows: ochre for Australia, green for New Guinea, red for South-East Asia and blue for the Pacific Islands. From 2001, issues with a gold spine will include conference proceedings, edited papers and monographs which in topic or desired format do not fit easily within the original arrangements. All volumes are numbered within the same series. List of volumes in Terra Australis Volume 1: Burrill Lake and Currarong: Coastal Sites in Southern New South Wales. R.J. Lampert (1971) Volume 2: Ol Tumbuna: Archaeological Excavations in the Eastern Central Highlands, Papua New Guinea. J.P. White (1972) Volume 3: New Guinea Stone Age Trade: The Geography and Ecology of Traffic in the Interior. I. Hughes (1977) Volume 4: Recent Prehistory in Southeast Papua. B. Egloff (1979) Volume 5: The Great Kartan Mystery. R. Lampert (1981) Volume 6: Early Man in North Queensland: Art and Archaeology in the Laura Area. A. Rosenfeld, D. Horton and J. Winter (1981) Volume 7: The Alligator Rivers: Prehistory and Ecology in Western Arnhem Land.
    [Show full text]