Post-Lapita Evolutions or Revolutions? Interaction and Exchange in Island Melanesia: The View from the Tanga Islands Part I Stephanie J. Garling A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY RESEARCH SCHOOL OF PACIFIC AND ASIAN STUDIES COLLEGE OF ASIA AND THE PACIFIC THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CANBERRA ACT 0200 NOVEMBER 2007 Except where otherwise acknowledged in the text, this thesis represents the original research of the author. Stephanie J. Garling November 2007. i ABSTRACT The focus of this thesis is the period of apparent cultural ‘transition’ or transformation in the archaeology of Island Melanesia in the closing centuries of the third millennium BP. This transformation has long been tied to an ill-defined and much debated ‘Incised and Applied Relief’ ceramic tradition, and in the western part of this region is seen as marking the ‘end’ of Lapita in the transition from the ‘Late Lapita’ to ‘Post-Lapita’ periods. I examine this ‘transition’ by taking a multi-pronged approach to the consideration of social interaction and exchange, in particular in terms of cultural continuities (‘evolutions’) and discontinuities (‘revolutions’) across it. Based on new research in the Tanga Islands and supplemented by the further examination of a group of sites on the New Ireland mainland, the thesis employs two broad types of data to track interaction—compositional and stylistic—which are gleaned from the analysis of pottery, obsidian and red ochre. Its aim is to tease out the complexities of interaction and cultural change at the ‘transition’ indicated by both the match and mismatch of the evidence from these different archaeological data sets. The thesis concludes that Tanga and other ‘transitional’ sites from the Bismarck Archipelago to New Caledonia were embedded in a number of different overlapping and interconnected interaction networks of different spatial and temporal scales and likely cultural significance. These networks reflected webs of relationships and aspects of shared identity and history on both more localised and broader regional levels, and incorporated elements of both stylistic similarity and difference, and cultural continuity and discontinuity with Lapita. It finds that there is indeed some utility to a considerably revised notion of the ‘Incised and Applied Relief Tradition’: one that is both more and less strictly defined. ABSTRACT ii iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am indebted to a great number of people, without whose assistance, advice, support and friendship my research and this thesis could not have been achieved. Foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Tanga, whose tremendous support, generosity, hospitality and friendship made the research for this thesis not only possible, but also one of the most enjoyable and memorable periods of my life. Kone aro sigit singam. My sincere thanks go to the clan and community leaders for their permission to undertake the research on their land and for their interest and enthusiasm, and to everyone who assisted me in the surveys and excavations, guided me, helped lug my gear between villages and islands, brought artefacts to show me, invited me into their homes, hausboi and kastam ceremonies, prepared wonderful meals for me (especially tupela meri Tassik, Salome and Tindiu), storied with me, protected me from tara, gave me generous gifts of fruit, yam, fish and buai to name a few, and generally looked after me better than I could ever have imagined. My sincere thanks also to Paul Nebil, who helped me to establish and then continue my research on Tanga, and in doing so sacrificed considerable time, away from his family and work on Anir. At Taonsip on Boeng, my deepest gratitude goes to ol lain bilong Solsol and Mokatilistung—Somanil Funil, Salome, Partui Bonaventura, Likot, Madeline, Felix, George, Geoffrey, Attanasius, and Elizabeth—who shared their home with me for two months and made me literally one of the family. Kone aro, iau Tinlames. At Solsol, I was honoured to be the recipient of a liklik kastam arranged by Somanil and clan leaders Partui, Tangkangku and Kiapun, which formally gave me their permission to conduct research in the Taonsip area, and to remove the artefacts of their ancestors for the education of future generations of Tangans. Thanks also to Joe Neolfea, Felomat clan leader, for his permission to carry out excavation at Matambek, and to Kutbau and Joe for sharing the story of Tinaul and Nakamur with me. I cannot thank the Boeng excavation teams—Benedict, Sores, Andrew, Tinmanil, Kaltusol, and Selewar—and their families enough for all their hard work and support at Matambek and Lifafaesing, and for also making the work such a pleasure. The people of Taonsip always made me feel welcome wherever I went. In particular, thanks to everyone at Matangkerem; to Kalikli and his family for inviting me to a delicious lunch at their home; and to Samdik, Furis, Tading, Felix, Fodok at Kalu Store, Tumar and his wife, Tinmeling, Lanabil, Tinmartaul and Benjamin. For organising two magnificent farewell kaikai at their homes, special thanks to both Tangkangku and ol lain blong em; and to the Lubun lain, Parbil and Patrick Tokanai and their families. My sincere thanks also to everyone who ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv shared their stories with me while I was at Taonsip, in particular Kamdamut, Partui, Somanil, Kutbau, Benedict and Sores. At Fonli, I would particularly like to thank Clement Tamenguam, Walburga Tinmelkia and Soktim Kabisar for their help in surveying and recording the caves. My special thanks go to the Kabisar lain for such a lovely welcome and kaikai at Wilinmale. At Sungkin, the hospitality and friendship of Filomena, Linus Minemanil, Albert, Rita, Humphrey Fenmut and the late Papa John Tolimar made the guesthouse a most welcome retreat. Special thanks to Albert for patiently transporting my gear and myself around Boeng, and to Fenmut for his help in survey and excavation. Thanks to Stanis Sarfini, Fasambo clan leader, for his support of the research. On Lif, my most sincere gratitude to everyone at Matampaluk—my other home away from home—especially Tindiu, Sianot, Abram and Gletrom for sharing their home with me, and to Teresia Wanmak, Severin, Bu-buol, Dorothy, Mechtil and Katil Kelep, Tiana, Hilary, Gerwarsius, Tinmelsor, Grace, Bruno Saputan, Maion, Rigil, Roswita, Michael and Ester. Thanks to Keneko and Vincent for helping me to sort through the fine fractions. I am especially grateful to Sianot, whose boat and excellent seamanship helped to transport myself and my supplies, finds and equipment between Tanga and Lihir, Namatanai and Anir. Thanks also to Patricia Tivese for allowing me to use her house at Matampuluk. At Angkitkita, my sincere thanks to Ben Fomen, Hildegarde, Michaeline, Naomi, Ingkom, Augustine, the late Lepan, the hard-working excavation team—John Fisher, Doreen, Enscar Kelep, Genevieve Tine and Blaise Fungkupet—and to all the other residents for their support, friendship, and interest in (and forbearance of) the research in their backyards. Thanks also to John Guaupet and Mark Kuen for their assistance during the survey of Lif. On Tefa, special thanks to James Kelep, Katil Kelep and Tarango for their hospitality at beautiful Ansingsing. On Maledok, my sincere thanks to the many people who gave me tremendous assistance and hospitality during the course of the survey and excavation, in particular: Titus Fadur, Bernadette, Edward Sioni, James Tokian, Celestine Timpuakot, Gabriel Fatbil and Bonifas Kepgas at Matangkipit and Angkono; Neone, Petua, Joycelyn, Alfred and Augustine at Waranlis and Salkangkis; Vincent Sangmet, John Neman and Tekla Batrom at Namanulla and Kiam; Phillipus Telsiliflif and everyone at Taun; Ludwig Song, Rosalind, Gertrude, Moses Song, and Hilary Waranmanil at Minmale; John, Michael, Tom and Alois Fang at Fit; Joseph Tandolmaket at Emo; and Richard Toktim, Michael, Andrew, and Frances Tolimar at Sautam. I especially want to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v express my heartfelt gratitude to Joycelyn for looking after me when I was ill at Waranlis, and to Richard Toktim and Gabriel Fatbil, without whose excellent seamanship I would probably not be here today. On Anir, I especially want to thank everyone at Balanis—Julie, liklik Julie, Sakses, Augustine, George-Hilda, Lamil, Lucy, Joe and Sorliu—for their tremendous hospitality. I am indebted to both Julies, and to Nengam and Ellen, for taking such good care of me when my leg was bagarap. Thanks also to Charles, Siraol, Paul Wingilmat, Leo Faboksiaro, Catherine, Annie and Lui for their continuing friendship over the years. On Lihir, special thanks to Wanmak, Patricia Tivese, Leonie, Naomi, Busa, Pio and Jason for their welcome and hospitality. Thanks also to Andy Holding (Community Liaison Officer, LMC) for being my lifeline while I was on Tanga, especially for conveying letters from Australia, special food parcels, and for helping to arrange some of the logistics of my fieldwork. Thanks also to Peter Nealim and Robin at Londolovit. In Kavieng, I wish to thank Simon Passingan (Deputy Administrator Corporate Services, New Ireland Provincial Administration) for his support of the research on Tanga. In Port Moresby, thanks to Nick Araho, Herman Mandui, the late Baiva Ivuyo and Robert Mondol (Department of Prehistory, National Museum and Art Gallery), and Jim Robbins (Cultural Studies Division, National Research Institute) for their support of the research, their help with transport, arranging logistics, and the loaning of collections. Many people within the Department of Archaeology and Natural History (ANH) and elsewhere at The Australian National University (ANU) have provided me with invaluable advice, encouragement, discussions and assistance. Foremost, I am grateful to my former supervisor, Glenn Summerhayes (now University of Otago), for inspiring my interest in the archaeology of New Ireland, giving me the opportunities to do fieldwork on Anir, and supporting and encouraging my research project on Tanga.