Paleoclimates and the emergence of fortifications in the tropical Pacific islands

Field, Julie S.; Lape, Peter V.

doi:10.1016/j.jaa.2009.11.001

Cited by 52 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…It has been widely acknowledged that this change in settlement pattern was a response to the increased threat or incidence of conflict rooted in increased competition for food resources, the available supply of which had dropped sharply relative to demand (Field and Lape 2010;Nunn 2007a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Na Koronivalu ni Bā: Upland Settlement during the Last Millennium in the Bā River Valley and Vatia Peninsula, Northern Viti Levu Island, Fiji

Nunn¹

2012

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Former settlements, now abandoned, are found in inland upland locations on many larger islands in the tropical Pacific. In Fiji, such settlements are known today as koronivalu (war-towns) and, as elsewhere in the region, appear to have been established within the same period during the first half of the last millennium. Twenty-seven koronivalu were mapped for this research in the Bā Valley and nearby Vatia Peninsula, northern Viti Levu Island (Fiji); of these, nine were subject to detailed investigation. All koronivalu are in defensible locations, either with exceptional views across the surrounding landscape or hidden within deep narrow valleys. At all koronivalu , evidence for the consumption of marine shellfish was found, even though the sites are often far from the coast. Twenty-four radiocarbon ages from charcoal and shellfish remains were obtained. A single age around a.d. 700 from the farthest inland site (Koroikewa) appears anomalous. The remainder, once adjusted, suggest that most koronivalu in the study area were established a.d. 1200–1750, perhaps separable into early ( a.d. 1200–1450) and later ( a.d. 1500–1750) phases. While questions remain about the functions of these koronivalu , the fact that, as elsewhere in Fiji and in other western Pacific Island groups, they appear to have been established within the same period suggests that there is a region-wide explanation for the profound settlement-pattern change this implies. Climate change, perhaps expressed through drought and/or sea-level change, appears the only plausible external forcing mechanism.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two mechanisms have been suggested. The first supposes that climate variability, as measured by the frequency of El Niño events, led to increased drought severity, duration, and/or incidence (Field and Lape 2010;Lape and Chao 2008). Table 1).…”

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confidence: 99%

Na Koronivalu ni Bā: Upland Settlement during the Last Millennium in the Bā River Valley and Vatia Peninsula, Northern Viti Levu Island, Fiji

Nunn¹

2012

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“…Macapainara site location. Lape 2010;Lape and Chin-Yung 2008). Others propose that fortifications are more likely to be a direct or indirect response to European impact, and especially as a reaction against slave raids (cf.…”

Section: Macapainaramentioning

confidence: 99%

Two Clocks: A Comparison of Ceramic and Radiocarbon Dates at Macapainara, East Timor

Fenner¹,

Bulbeck²

2013

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Radiocarbon analysis and ceramic typology assessment are commonly used to date late Holocene archaeological sites in Island Southeast Asia. We apply both methods to date the site of Macapainara in East Timor, and they produce substantially different age ranges for this site. The radiocarbon dates are consistently later in time than ceramic typology dates from the same or adjacent stratigraphic levels. We assess the various sources of error for the two dating techniques that could produce this discrepancy, and conclude that the ceramic typology age ranges are misleadingly old due to concerted curation of fine ceramics by the site occupants. We discuss the implications of this for dating sites in East Timor and elsewhere within Island Southeast Asia.

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“…It is within this context in Polynesia (and elsewhere) that people focus greater effort on constructing defensive features. Cool and dry conditions in the equatorial Pacific during the Little Ice Age between AD 1450 and 1850 also correlate with a proliferation of fortifications in several parts of the Pacific (Field and Lape 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Taking the High Ground: The archaeology of Rapa, a fortified island in remote East Polynesia (Terra Australis 37)

Anderson¹,

Kennett²

2012

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terra australis 37Terra 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. Copyright of the text remains with the contributors/authors, 2011. This book is copyright in all countries subscribing to the Berne convention. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Inquiries should be made to the publisher. List of volumes in Terra AustralisVolume IntroductionThis volume describes the results of archaeological and related research on Rapa Island, which lies at the southern extremity of French Polynesia. Notable for its numerous fortified sites atop the peaks of a spectacular volcanic landscape, Rapa has remained nonetheless an enigma in Polynesian prehistory. It has been linked, on the one hand, with its more famous and nearnamesake Rapa Nui (Easter Island), in hypotheses of Amerindian migration and the dire impacts of deforestation and societal isolation, and, on the other hand, with settlement and fort construction in the similarly cool and remote nearest neighbour to the southwest, New Zealand. Our project set out to construct a cultural sequence and palaeoenvironmental context so that consideration of such issues might profit from the existence of a more diverse and comprehensive database. Rapa Island is located in a remote position at 27 0 35S, 144 0 20W, in the subtropical South Pacific Ocean (Figure 1.1). In the form of a horseshoe, which reflects its origin as a breached caldera, Rapa has 38 km 2 of land area and, lacking any barrier or fringing reef, its outer coast rises abruptly out of the sea towards jagged peaks, products of erosion around the caldera rim (Figure 1.2), the highest of which is Mont Perau, at 650 m;Where the steep sides of the jagged peaks reach the coast they form great cliffs falling vertically to the sea. The coast is bold with deep caves worn in it by the sea. Except around the bays in the coast, which have sandy beaches at their heads, the island is inaccessible. (Haslam 1982:83) terra australis 37 Archaeological research on Rapa Island, French Polynesia 9 terra australis 37Topographically, the redeeming feature of Rapa for human habitation is its large, protected harbour with relatively extensive low and fertile ground at its head (Figure 1.3). The harbour was called Aurai in the 1820s (Chapter 2) and it has been called Ha'urei or Ahurei since the 1940s at least (Naval Intelligence Division 1943:253). However, Stokes (n.d.) called it 'Tairirau' and on an early map published by Hall (1...

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Paleoclimates and the emergence of fortifications in the tropical Pacific islands

Cited by 52 publications

References 91 publications

Na Koronivalu ni Bā: Upland Settlement during the Last Millennium in the Bā River Valley and Vatia Peninsula, Northern Viti Levu Island, Fiji

Na Koronivalu ni Bā: Upland Settlement during the Last Millennium in the Bā River Valley and Vatia Peninsula, Northern Viti Levu Island, Fiji

Two Clocks: A Comparison of Ceramic and Radiocarbon Dates at Macapainara, East Timor

Taking the High Ground: The archaeology of Rapa, a fortified island in remote East Polynesia (Terra Australis 37)

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