ABSTRACT Through use of methodology common in sedimentary geology, we apply U–Pb ages of detrital... more ABSTRACT Through use of methodology common in sedimentary geology, we apply U–Pb ages of detrital zircons to source nonlocal temper sand in an ancient ceramic assemblage recovered from Roviana Lagoon of the New Georgia Group in the Solomon Islands. Most potsherds from the Roviana Lagoon contain local volcanic sand as temper, but a small number of sherds contain anomalous granitic temper sand that does not appear to be local. To determine the origin of the anomalous temper, ages of zircons from the anomalous Roviana sherds are compared with ages of zircons in materials from Lizard Island off the Queensland coast and in sand from Muyuw Island in the Solomon Sea where generically similar granitic sands occur. U–Pb analyses of grains from the Roviana sherds yield Middle Miocene ages, while analyses of grains from Lizard Island granitic bedrock, sand, and local potsherds yield much older Permian-Triassic ages, disproving any possibility that the Roviana sherds were derived from Lizard Island, but suggesting local production of the Lizard Island sherds. Ages of grains in a sand sample from Muyuw Island are nearly identical to the ages of grains in the Roviana sherds. All grains in the Muyuw sand are Middle Miocene in age, overlapping closely with the Roviana age population. This strong similarity in detrital zircon signals indicates that the Roviana temper was likely derived from Muyuw Island sands. Our test case for the use of U–Pb ages of detrital zircons in sourcing temper sands is of only regional significance, and not of intrinsic global interest. The methodology, however, should find wide applicability for sourcing temper sands in many parts of the world, for it provides more specific data for the origins of tempers than either petrographic or chemical analysis.
The article presents results of an obsidian sourcing study on artifacts from Tonga and Fiji. New ... more The article presents results of an obsidian sourcing study on artifacts from Tonga and Fiji. New LA-ICPMS data on obsidian source locations on Tafahi in northern Tonga are discussed in relation to inter-island mobility during two important phases in the Central Pacific: the late-Lapita phase in Fiji-West Polynesia at 2700–2600 cal. BP and during the time of the rise of Polynesian chiefdoms at ∼1000–400 cal. BP. The sourcing results indicate that two sources of obsidian were exploited during Tongan prehistory. It is suggested that different modes of interaction were responsible for obsidian movement during the early and late phases of Tongan prehistory.
The use of oral tradition or oral history in archaeology is often a contentious issue. In this pa... more The use of oral tradition or oral history in archaeology is often a contentious issue. In this paper we briefly review methodological issues surrounding the use of such data and follow this with a case study using our research into the last 1,000 years of prehistory in Roviana Lagoon (New Georgia Group, Solomon Islands). We argue that it is not
Mortuary architecture and ritual assemblages have played a central role in archaeological inquiry... more Mortuary architecture and ritual assemblages have played a central role in archaeological inquiry since the discipline began. Most recently they have featured in the archaeology of social organization where variations in scale and value of the objects concerned are seen as reflections of religion, ideology, ethics or politics. This study looks at the shrines and cult assemblages of late prehistoric Roviana Lagoon, in the Western Solomon Islands. Drawing on a rich ethnographic record we show how these things were actively manipulated in the construction of social relations and religion. In doing so we argue that dedicatory offerings and shrines were involved in aspects of personhood and agency rather than simply serving as reflections of past social conditions.
We present a new archaeointensity dataset obtained from an outstanding collection of ceramics wit... more We present a new archaeointensity dataset obtained from an outstanding collection of ceramics with well-dated contexts (AMS radiocarbon) from the SW Pacific comprising a time period from 1000 BC to 1500 AD. Forty individual potsherds from Lakeba (Fiji Lau Group 18.2°S, 178.8E), 62 from Vanuatu (17.5°S, 168.2°E) and eight from Duke of York Islands (4.2°S, 152.45°E) were investigated. To select samples suitable for archaeointensity experiments microwave demagnetisation experiments were first conducted. Of the 110 individual potsherds 59 were rejected as they did not contain a stable component of remanence. A possible reason for this is insufficient heating, or movement of the pottery during cooling, such as may occur if the sherd was from a cooking vessel. Fifty one sherds (16 Fijian, 34 Vanuatuan and 1 from Duke of York) contained a stable component of remanence and were thus selected for archaeointensity experiments. Two sister samples from each selected sherd were investigated to c...
Through use of methodology common in sedimentary geology, we apply U–Pb ages of detrital zircons ... more Through use of methodology common in sedimentary geology, we apply U–Pb ages of detrital zircons to source nonlocal temper sand in an ancient ceramic assemblage recovered from Roviana Lagoon of the New Georgia Group in the Solomon Islands. Most potsherds from the Roviana Lagoon contain local volcanic sand as temper, but a small number of sherds contain anomalous granitic temper sand that does not appear to be local. To determine the origin of the anomalous temper, ages of zircons from the anomalous Roviana sherds are compared with ages of zircons in materials from Lizard Island off the Queensland coast and in sand from Muyuw Island in the Solomon Sea where generically similar granitic sands occur. U–Pb analyses of grains from the Roviana sherds yield Middle Miocene ages, while analyses of grains from Lizard Island granitic bedrock, sand, and local potsherds yield much older Permian-Triassic ages, disproving any possibility that the Roviana sherds were derived from Lizard Island, but...
Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science, 2000
... The PIXE/PIGME technique as carried out at Lucas Heights is a non-destructive method of surfa... more ... The PIXE/PIGME technique as carried out at Lucas Heights is a non-destructive method of surface elemental analysis with high levels of precision and accuracy [8] {p. 62}]. ... 37. P. Sheppard, Hard rock: archaeological implications of chert sourcing in near and remote Oceania. ...
ABSTRACT Through use of methodology common in sedimentary geology, we apply U–Pb ages of detrital... more ABSTRACT Through use of methodology common in sedimentary geology, we apply U–Pb ages of detrital zircons to source nonlocal temper sand in an ancient ceramic assemblage recovered from Roviana Lagoon of the New Georgia Group in the Solomon Islands. Most potsherds from the Roviana Lagoon contain local volcanic sand as temper, but a small number of sherds contain anomalous granitic temper sand that does not appear to be local. To determine the origin of the anomalous temper, ages of zircons from the anomalous Roviana sherds are compared with ages of zircons in materials from Lizard Island off the Queensland coast and in sand from Muyuw Island in the Solomon Sea where generically similar granitic sands occur. U–Pb analyses of grains from the Roviana sherds yield Middle Miocene ages, while analyses of grains from Lizard Island granitic bedrock, sand, and local potsherds yield much older Permian-Triassic ages, disproving any possibility that the Roviana sherds were derived from Lizard Island, but suggesting local production of the Lizard Island sherds. Ages of grains in a sand sample from Muyuw Island are nearly identical to the ages of grains in the Roviana sherds. All grains in the Muyuw sand are Middle Miocene in age, overlapping closely with the Roviana age population. This strong similarity in detrital zircon signals indicates that the Roviana temper was likely derived from Muyuw Island sands. Our test case for the use of U–Pb ages of detrital zircons in sourcing temper sands is of only regional significance, and not of intrinsic global interest. The methodology, however, should find wide applicability for sourcing temper sands in many parts of the world, for it provides more specific data for the origins of tempers than either petrographic or chemical analysis.
The article presents results of an obsidian sourcing study on artifacts from Tonga and Fiji. New ... more The article presents results of an obsidian sourcing study on artifacts from Tonga and Fiji. New LA-ICPMS data on obsidian source locations on Tafahi in northern Tonga are discussed in relation to inter-island mobility during two important phases in the Central Pacific: the late-Lapita phase in Fiji-West Polynesia at 2700–2600 cal. BP and during the time of the rise of Polynesian chiefdoms at ∼1000–400 cal. BP. The sourcing results indicate that two sources of obsidian were exploited during Tongan prehistory. It is suggested that different modes of interaction were responsible for obsidian movement during the early and late phases of Tongan prehistory.
The use of oral tradition or oral history in archaeology is often a contentious issue. In this pa... more The use of oral tradition or oral history in archaeology is often a contentious issue. In this paper we briefly review methodological issues surrounding the use of such data and follow this with a case study using our research into the last 1,000 years of prehistory in Roviana Lagoon (New Georgia Group, Solomon Islands). We argue that it is not
Mortuary architecture and ritual assemblages have played a central role in archaeological inquiry... more Mortuary architecture and ritual assemblages have played a central role in archaeological inquiry since the discipline began. Most recently they have featured in the archaeology of social organization where variations in scale and value of the objects concerned are seen as reflections of religion, ideology, ethics or politics. This study looks at the shrines and cult assemblages of late prehistoric Roviana Lagoon, in the Western Solomon Islands. Drawing on a rich ethnographic record we show how these things were actively manipulated in the construction of social relations and religion. In doing so we argue that dedicatory offerings and shrines were involved in aspects of personhood and agency rather than simply serving as reflections of past social conditions.
We present a new archaeointensity dataset obtained from an outstanding collection of ceramics wit... more We present a new archaeointensity dataset obtained from an outstanding collection of ceramics with well-dated contexts (AMS radiocarbon) from the SW Pacific comprising a time period from 1000 BC to 1500 AD. Forty individual potsherds from Lakeba (Fiji Lau Group 18.2°S, 178.8E), 62 from Vanuatu (17.5°S, 168.2°E) and eight from Duke of York Islands (4.2°S, 152.45°E) were investigated. To select samples suitable for archaeointensity experiments microwave demagnetisation experiments were first conducted. Of the 110 individual potsherds 59 were rejected as they did not contain a stable component of remanence. A possible reason for this is insufficient heating, or movement of the pottery during cooling, such as may occur if the sherd was from a cooking vessel. Fifty one sherds (16 Fijian, 34 Vanuatuan and 1 from Duke of York) contained a stable component of remanence and were thus selected for archaeointensity experiments. Two sister samples from each selected sherd were investigated to c...
Through use of methodology common in sedimentary geology, we apply U–Pb ages of detrital zircons ... more Through use of methodology common in sedimentary geology, we apply U–Pb ages of detrital zircons to source nonlocal temper sand in an ancient ceramic assemblage recovered from Roviana Lagoon of the New Georgia Group in the Solomon Islands. Most potsherds from the Roviana Lagoon contain local volcanic sand as temper, but a small number of sherds contain anomalous granitic temper sand that does not appear to be local. To determine the origin of the anomalous temper, ages of zircons from the anomalous Roviana sherds are compared with ages of zircons in materials from Lizard Island off the Queensland coast and in sand from Muyuw Island in the Solomon Sea where generically similar granitic sands occur. U–Pb analyses of grains from the Roviana sherds yield Middle Miocene ages, while analyses of grains from Lizard Island granitic bedrock, sand, and local potsherds yield much older Permian-Triassic ages, disproving any possibility that the Roviana sherds were derived from Lizard Island, but...
Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science, 2000
... The PIXE/PIGME technique as carried out at Lucas Heights is a non-destructive method of surfa... more ... The PIXE/PIGME technique as carried out at Lucas Heights is a non-destructive method of surface elemental analysis with high levels of precision and accuracy [8] {p. 62}]. ... 37. P. Sheppard, Hard rock: archaeological implications of chert sourcing in near and remote Oceania. ...
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