Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Early East Polynesian Prehistory and the Archaeology of Rurutu, Austral Islands

University Of Hawaii, Honolulu

Investigators

Abstract

Under the supervision of Dr. Barry Rolett, Robert Bollt will analyze the archaeological assemblage recovered during his 2003 excavation on the East Polynesian island of Rurutu in the Austral group of French Polynesia. The site is typical of the Archaic period of East Polynesian prehistory, which represents an early stage in colonization process during the period of A.D. 1000 - 1400. Until this project, the Australs have remained a blank in the record of Archaic East Polynesian culture. This research is geared toward filling this gap and will significantly enhance our understanding of the colonization, settlement, and development of East Polynesia. Robert Bollt's research focuses on the nature of the Archaic period, and specifically on the high degree of long-distance voyaging and interaction that took place in the region during that time. In recent years, empirical evidence for long-distance interaction has drawn considerable attention to the East Polynesian Archaic period. Compositional analysis of the basalt used in tool making has revealed that the Polynesians had exchange networks that stretched over thousands of kilometers throughout the eastern Pacific. Before such empirical evidence came to light, it was believed that once settled, individual islands developed in relative isolation from one another. Studies in interaction are now revolutionizing how researchers understand the prehistory of Polynesia. The Polynesians' navigational skills, shipbuilding technology, and spirit of exploration have come to the forefront in ways not previously imagined. This project will perform analyses on the basalt tools from Rurutu, which will prove valuable because there is currently no such data from the Australs. This will reveal to what extent the Australs were involved in interaction and long-distance trade with their neighbors, such as Tahiti and the Southern Cooks. The results will provide an invaluable reference point for the Australs that will be useful to other researchers working in Polynesia. The radiocarbon dates obtained from the site will also be the first series of its kind for the Australs. As archaeological research makes further headway into Polynesia, it continues to reveal new aspects of a culture whose colonization of the entire Pacific Ocean over a thousand years ago ranks among the most incredible feats of human exploration. As traditional Polynesian society is quickly vanishing, understanding the region's prehistory is increasingly critical to Polynesian life. Today, East Polynesia is far more divided in terms of language and culture than it had been before European contact in the 18th century. In learning about the achievements of their ancestors, Polynesians are coming to realize that the modern international boundaries that separate them from one another cannot mask a common heritage. By working in harmony with government of French Polynesia and the people of Rurutu, this project hopes to increase awareness of a rich and unique prehistory. The results will be communicated through publications in scholarly journals and presentations at scientific conferences. This award will also provide the author and undergraduate laboratory assistants with valuable technical experience in the analytical methods used.