A Pre-Lapita Structure at Apalo, Arawe Islands, Papua New Guinea

Specht, Jim; Gosden, Chris; Lentfer, Carol; Jacobsen, Geraldine; Matthews, Peter J.; Lindsay, Sue

doi:10.1080/15564894.2015.1125972

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…There are also many other similar ones in Polynesia such as the Cook Islands (e.g., Allen and Craig 2009; Allen and Steadman 1990; Allen and Wallace 2007; Kirch et al 1995), the Tuamotu archipelago (e.g., Conte and Dennison 1995), the remote islands of Henderson, Pitcairn (Weisler 1995), and Rapa Nui (e.g., Hunt and Lipo 2011), and even the Arawe Islands of Papua New Guinea (Specht et al 2016), all of which have enhanced our understanding of small island adaptations. The findings suggest that these smaller, less biologically diverse islands could still provide adequate resources for inhabitants within a certain carrying capacity, including freshwater, marine foods and horticultural systems, and shelter.…”

Section: The Pacificmentioning

confidence: 97%

Marginalization of the Margins: The Importance of Smaller Islands in Human Prehistory

Fitzpatrick

Thompson

Poteate

et al. 2016

The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology

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Across the world's seas and oceans, archaeological research focused on islands has generally privileged those that are larger in size. Explanations for this phenomenon range from the (mis)perception by scholars that prehistoric peoples were more attracted to the presumed greater number and diversity of resources typically available on larger islands, to the ephemeral aspect of archaeological evidence on smaller land areas. These are coupled with logistical and infrastructure issues that often limit access to labor, equipment, and transportation to conduct field activities (e.g., remote atolls in the Pacific). A growing body of research demonstrates, however, that ancient peoples regularly and readily occupied and/or accessed many smaller islands for both terrestrial and marine resources. In some cases, within an archipelago, evidence shows an earlier occupation on smaller islands versus larger ones, or an attraction to the former given unique or seasonal resource availability and/or defensive capabilities. We describe cases from several areas of the world that highlight the importance of relatively small islands (∼1-500 km 2 ) for understanding human adaptations in what many have considered to be among the most marginal of environments.

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Section: The Pacificmentioning

confidence: 97%

Marginalization of the Margins: The Importance of Smaller Islands in Human Prehistory

Fitzpatrick

Thompson

Poteate

et al. 2016

The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology

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“…The low density of material culture deposited during initial settlement was likely because of both the shallow marine environment and only a small resident population. Gosden and Webb (1994) noted similar processes contributed to sediment accumulation on the Arawe Islands where beach settlement has been identified from 4300–4000 BP, with increased sedimentation from 3000 BP with the arrival of a Lapita population (see also Specht et al, 2016).…”

Section: Punctuated Timing Of Beach Formation At Malakaimentioning

confidence: 76%

2500-year cultural sequence in the Massim region of eastern Papua New Guinea reflects adaptive strategies to small islands and changing climate regimes since Lapita settlement

et al. 2020

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Islands present significant technological and ecological challenges for long-term human settlement, with archaeological investigations of islands globally able to shed light on the adaptive plasticity of cultural groups to changing climatic regimes. The Massim islands of eastern New Guinea significantly reduced in size throughout the Holocene (⩽11.7 kya), providing a unique opportunity to investigate the long-term adaptive capabilities of humans to changing island ecosystems. Here, we report a 2500-2300 year cultural sequence on Nimowa Island in the Louisiade Archipelago of the Massim region which began with the arrival of a late Lapita population during initial beachfront development. Sediment analyses indicate earlier settlement on the island would not have been possible as the coastline was unstable until near-modern sea levels were reached. The island was abandoned from 1290 to 530 cal. BP during a period of unusually dry conditions (‘Medieval Climate Anomaly’) and probable freshwater shortages. Re-settlement coincided with wetter climatic conditions (‘Little Ice Age’), associated with the establishment of large villages, the earliest expression of local pottery traditions and the onset of large-scale regional exchange networks. Import of non-local obsidian reflects two pulses of interaction followed by periods of increased isolation. With the absence of high-quality lithic resources, shell, coral and bone were used as a locally available alternative for tool production. Increased cyclone frequency from ~500 cal. BP greatly increased beach volume in the island and coastal New Guinea, which facilitated the movement of populations onto smaller islands. A late prehistoric shift in settlement patterns had a profound impact on regional social dynamics.

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Building on the past: Refining our current understanding of Lapita stilt structures

Hogg

Chen

Summerhayes

et al. 2022

Australian Archaeology

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A Pre-Lapita Structure at Apalo, Arawe Islands, Papua New Guinea

Cited by 3 publications

References 27 publications

Marginalization of the Margins: The Importance of Smaller Islands in Human Prehistory

Marginalization of the Margins: The Importance of Smaller Islands in Human Prehistory

2500-year cultural sequence in the Massim region of eastern Papua New Guinea reflects adaptive strategies to small islands and changing climate regimes since Lapita settlement

Building on the past: Refining our current understanding of Lapita stilt structures

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