Archaeological Excavation on Pagan in the Mariana Islands

***, J. Anthrop. Soc. Nippon 81(3) : 203-226 (1973) Archaeological Excavation on Pagan in the Mariana Islands Tomoko EGAMI and Fumiko SAITO Graduate Students of Historical Science, Aoyama Gakuin University canic rock in the northern group and of INTRODUCTION coral limestone in the southern group. This is the report on archaeological The first and principal objective of our survey and excavation on the island of Pagan expedition was to reconstruct se- Pagan conducted by us during December quences of culture change through radio- 25, 1972-January 15, 1973. carbon dating. The second was to throw The best known areas in Micronesia light on the question of prehistoric rela- archaeologically are the Mariana Islands, tionships between the islands of the north- because excavations in the islands of the ern group and those of the southern group. southern group of the Mariana Islands Finally, our hope was to identify ANELL's were carried out by THOMPSON (1932), hypothesis that the introduction and the OSBORNE (1947), SPOEHR (1957), PELLETT subsequent development of the fishhook t and SPOEHR (1961), REINMAN (1967), and ook place in the north, probably from the TAKAYAMA in 1970-71 (TAKAYAMA and direction of Japan and one possibility was EGAMI, 1971), 1971-72. But no archaeolo- a spread southward through the Bonin and gical excavations have been undertaken Volcano Islands to the Marianas, then in the northern group of the islands with eastward through the Carolines to eastern the exception of the surveys and limited and central Polynesia, thus bypassing excavations on Alamagan, Pagan, and Melanesia and western Polynesia (1955 Agrihan, conducted by Professor Ichiro 247). One of the authors of this report, YAWATA of Sophia University (1943: 81- Tomoko EGAMI has participated in exca- 90). He reported that latte sites were vations on Rota by Jun TAKAYAMAtwice, found not only on these islands but so that she has been specially interested probably on Maug, though some differen- in the project in this respect. In addition, ces in the scale and materials were found Pagan is the only island which can be between the islands of the southern group reached by chartered airplane from Saipan. and those of the northern group. He also noted that the artifacts were rather scanty, THE MARIANA ISLANDS all of which were the same as those found The Marianas consist of fifteen islands, in the southern group of the islands, ma- stretching in a long, flat arc from Farallon terial of latte having been made of vol- de Pajaros (Uracas) in the north to Guam 204 T. EGAMI and F. SAIT0 larger and are composed pri- marily of superimposed, coral limestone terraces resting on volcanic bases. The southern group of islands contains much greater areas of level or gently sloping land and is much more suitable for human occupation. The southern islands have probably always been the seat of most of the population of the Marianas (SPOEHR, 1957: 22). The islands of the northern group, lying to the north of Saipan, are rocky islands rising abruptly from the sea. Because of small areal extent, thin soils and deficiency of level land, the islands offer few opportunities for occupancy. The area was first explored by Spanish missionaries, who reported making conversions but left no records of total population (FREEMAN, 1966: Fig. 1. Map of the Mariana Islands and Pagan, showing 228). location of the sites. Numbers on map refer to following The economic development sites: 1, Regusa ; 2, Apang Sang Te (?) ; 3, Parialu (?) ; of the islands is largely a 4, Taragie. history of copra production. in the south, a distance of nearly 500 miles Beginning about 1870, Carolinian laborers (Fig. 1). This chain can be divided into were sent to the islands toh arvest coconut, northern and southern group. The islands and a few remained as settlers. Further in the northern group are composed of settlement occurred as a part of the Farallon de Medinilla, Anatahan, Sarigan, German copra program. The first German Guguan, Alamagan, Pagan, Agrihan, Asun- census (1902) listed a total of 185 persons cion, Maug, and Farallon de Pajaros. Those on Pagan, Agrihan, Alamagan, and Sari- in the southern group, consisting of Guam, gan. The other islands had no permanent Rota, Aguijan, Tinian, and Saipan, are inhabitants, but were leased for mining Archaeological Excavation on Pagan in the Mariana Islands 205 guano and catching sea birds (FREEMAN, An island which was either Agrigan or 1966: 228). Asuncion in the northern group of the The population figures as of June 30 on Marianas was discovered by ESPINOSA on Pagan, 1970 is 52 (Office of Tourism, June 2, 1522; and the Maug Islands, also 1970: Pl. 2). in the northern group or the Marianas, were discovered by ESPINOSA in the latter ACKNOWLEDGMENTS part of 1522, a landing being made. The work on Pagan was greatly aided Gonzalo de Vigo, a deserter from the by Mr. Santiggo V. CASTRO and his family Trinidad, traversed the Marianas from to whom we wish to express our appreci- the Maug Islands to Guam at some time ation. prior to 1526. In the latter part of 1543, The results of the field work have been probably in September, Bernardo de la greatly facilitated through valuable assis- TORRE, in the San Juan, saw three islands tance rendered by Professor Tsugio MI- in the Marianas, probably Farallon de KAMI of Aoyama Gakuin University for Medinilla, Anatahan, and Sariguan, alth- indentication of Chinese porcelain. He has ough they had probably been discovered also helped us in various ways. by Gonzalo de VIGO. Ynigo Ortiz de The bones were indentified by Mr. Hir- RETES, in the San Juan, discovered, or omasa KANEKO, lecturer at Waseda Uiver- rediscovered after SAAVEDRA, some of the sity, and stone material by Dr. Hideo islands to the west of Manus on 27 July, MINATO, Institute of Earth Science & 29 July, 19 August, and 21 August 1545. Astoronomy of the Univ, of Tokyo. In 1688 and the years following, Spanish Three carbon 14 dates were obtained missionaries, of whom Luis de MORALES through the aid of Mrs. Tomoko HAMADA was the foremost as far as exploration of the Japan Radio Isotope Association. was concerned, established the geography We wish to thank Professor Ichiro of the Marianas, comprising Guam, Rota, YAWATA of Sophia University and Mr. Agiguan, Tinian, Saipan, Farallon de Jun TAKAYAMA, lecturer at Tokai Univer- Medinilla, Anatahan, Sariguan, Guguan, sity, for their helpful comments and Alama gam, Pagan, Agrigan, Asuncion, criticism. the Maug Islands, and Farallon de Pajaros We are deeply indebted to them. With- (Urac). It was then that the name Mari- out their generous help, this report would anas was adopted (SHARP, 1960: 11, 32,87). not have been impossible. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC THE DISCOVERY OF EUROPEANS OF PAGAN The Marianas were first made known Pagan is located in the northern part of to the Europeans by MAGELLAN, who the Mariana Island chain between latitudes discovered the islands March 6, 1521, after 18*11* north and longitudes 145*42* east. his hazardous voyage across the Pacific. It is approximately 1,100 nautical miles 206 T. EGAMI and F. SAIT0 south of Japan, 280 miles north of Guam approximately three weeks. and 203 miles north of Saipan. According to Professor I. YAWATA the The island is ten miles long and ranges latte sites were located at Regusa and in width from one half to four miles. Talagie on the island of Pagan. Another There are about 27 miles of shoreline in latte site at Apan Sang Te (?) was disc- this 18.5 square mile island. The land overed by us, the feature of which is very area is approximately 11.795 acres or similar to that of latte found in the 4,773 hectares. southern group of Marianas. The natives Although the island does have some told us that this latte formerly served as localized coral reefs, they are closely related a house of the tribal chief. This latte is to the shore and there are no lagoon areas located on the basalt terrace of cliff (Fig. present. 1). We were also told by the natives that Pagan is an island formed by volcanic the lattes existed at Parialu, but we did activity. With minor exception any dis- not see them. cussion of its topography, scenery, soil or The Regusa latte site is situated on the recreational opportunities relates to this shore approximately two miles southeast origin. Period of volcanic history probably of the present village (Pl. I,1; Fig. 1). commenced about 20 million years ago and Located south from this area is South ended with the most recent eruptionin 1930. Volcano, to the north is Mount Pagan and The island has two semi-dormant volc- to the southeast is Togari Rock or Bird anoes. South Volcano, with four separate Island. Since the wind is blowing from cratered cones, is near the southern end the southeast almost throughout the year of the south Pagan peninsula. It rises to this area is always cool (PANGEKINAN and 1,899 feet above sea level. At some time KAPILEO, 1970: 23). long past this ancient mountain collapsed According to Professor Ichiro YAWATA, into itself forming a deep crater or caldera a considerable number of lattes were encircled by a rim of cliffs rising from counted at the Regusa site in 1937 (1943 one hundred to 800 feet above sea level. 262-273), but at the present only a few of Parts of this rim of cliffs still remains. these are still intact, the rest having been Surface water sources include the numer- disturbed. ous cisterns and rain barrels. The cisterns Of these the most undisturbed latte was and rain barrels provide the best quality selected for excavation.

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