Thomas Richards

New direction in human colonisation of the Pacific: Lapita settlement of south coast New Guinea

Abstract Expansion of Austronesianspeaking peoples from the Bismarck Archipelago out into the Pacific commencing c.3300 cal BP represents the last great chapter of human global colonisation. Bismarck Indonesia Archipelago Papua New Guinea Torres Strait Caution Bay The earliest migrants were bearers of finelymade dentate-stamped Lapita pottery, hitherto found only across Island Melanesia and western Polynesia. We document the first known occurrence of Lapita peoples on the New Guinea mainland. The new Lapita sites date from 2900 to 2500 cal BP and represent a newly-discovered migratory arm of Lapita expansions that moved westwards along the southern New Guinea coast towards Australia. These marine specialists ate shellfish, fish and marine turtles along the Papua New Guinea mainland coast, reflecting subsistence continuities with local pre-Lapita peoples dating back to 4200 cal BP. Lapita artefacts include characteristic ceramics, shell armbands, stone adzes and obsidian tools. Our Lapita discoveries support hypotheses for the migration of pottery-bearing Melanesian marine specialists into Torres Strait of northeast Australia c.2500 cal BP.

High-resolution radiocarbon dating of marine materials in archaeological contexts: radiocarbon marine reservoir variability between Anadara, Gafrarium, Batissa, Polymesoda spp. and Echinoidea at Caution Bay, Southern Coastal Papua New Guinea

The remains of shellfish dominate many coastal archaeological sites in the Pacific and provide a wealth of information about economy, culture, environment and climate. Shells are therefore the logical sample type to develop local and regional radiocarbon chronologies. The calibration of radiocarbon (14C) dates on marine animals is not straightforward, however, requiring an understanding of habitat and dietary preferences as well as detailed knowledge of local ocean conditions. The most complex situations occur where terrestrial influences impinge on the marine environment resulting in both the enrichment and depletion of 14C (Ulm Geoarchaeology 17(4):319–348, 2002; Petchey and Clark Quat Geochronol 6:539–549, 2011). A sampling protocol that combines a high-resolution excavation methodology, selection of short-lived samples identified to species level, and a tri-isotope approach using 14C, δ13C and δ18O, has given us the ability to identify 14C source variation that would otherwise have been obscured. Here, we present new research that details high-resolution mapping of marine 14C reservoir variation between Gafrarium tumidum, Gafrarium pectinatum, Anadara granosa, Anadara antiquata, Batissa violacea, Polymesoda erosa and Echinoidea from the Bogi 1 archaeological site, Caution Bay, southern coastal Papua New Guinea. These isotopes highlight specific dietary, habitat and behavioural variations that are key to obtaining chronological information from shell radiocarbon determinations.

Lapita sites in the Central Province of mainland Papua New Guinea

Abstract For over forty years, archaeologists working along Papua New Guineas southern coastline have sought evidence for early ceramics and its relationship with Lapita wares of Island Melanesia. Failing to find any such evidence of pottery more than 2000 bp, and largely based on the excavation of eight early pottery-bearing sites during the late 1960s into the early 1970s, synchronous colonization some 2000 bp along 500km of the south Papuan coastline by post-Lapita ceramic manufacturers has been posited. This paper presents conclusive evidence for the presence of Lapita ceramics along the Papuan south coast between c. 2500 and 2900 cal. bp, thereby indicating that current models of colonization by ceramicists for the region need to be rethought. We conclude with a brief reflection as to why these Lapita horizons were missed by previous researchers.

Holocene pollen records from Caution Bay, southern mainland Papua New Guinea

This study presents new palynological data from Caution Bay, south-central Papua New Guinea (PNG). It explores Holocene mangrove transitional events along a tide-dominated shoreline, and expands reconstructive detail for the wider southern PNG lowlands. Coinciding with recent regional archaeological research, this study also holds implications for interpretations of the Holocene settlement of Caution Bay and long-term people–landscape interactions. Data demonstrate a late-Holocene mangrove to mudflat transition, with vegetation patterns largely a function of low sediment loading, sedimentary redistributions and salinisation upon sea level decline c. 2000 cal. yr BP. These trends appear unique to Caution Bay, highlighting a variety of Holocene shoreline vegetation changes along the PNG south coast, each dependent on geomorphologic setting and hydrological fluxes. Further work is required to elucidate vegetation change inland of the coastal zone. Greater understanding of burning patterns and an archaeological collaboration are required to determine more concisely dryland plant spatial and temporal variability.

Phased redevelopment of an ancient Gunditjmara fish trap over the past 800 years: Muldoons Trap Complex, Lake Condah, southwestern Victoria

Abstract Critics point out that a weakness of Lourandos’ ‘intensification’ paradigm for southwestern Victoria is a lack of dates for iconic fish traps of the Lake Condah region. McNiven et al. (2012) detailed excavations at Muldoons Trap Complex at Lake Condah in Gunditjmara Country, where charcoal recovered from channel infill sediments indicated initial construction at least 6600 cal. BP, making the site one of the world’s oldest known fish traps. Channel excavations also revealed the addition of basalt block walls dating to ca 600–800 cal. BP. Subsequent excavations at a second location at Muldoons demonstrate that a barrier/dam feature associated with artificial ponding of flood waters and containment of eels was added to the site complex ca 300–500 cal. BP and possibly elaborated in the nineteenth century. These results show that Muldoons Trap Complex underwent phased redevelopment and major elaboration over the past 800 years. This redevelopment followed little or no activity during the preceding 4000 years, which we argue reflected drier climatic conditions and the inability of flood waters to reach the site. Use of the site complex 5400–6600 and <800 years ago took advantage of regional increases in effective precipitation and lake water levels. Redevelopment of Muldoons Trap Complex within the past 800 years coincided with increased use of occupation sites across the broader region. Importantly, our research presents a methodological way forward to document the history of construction and use of stone-walled fish traps in the Lake Condah region.

Imported obsidian at Caution Bay, south coast of Papua New Guinea: Cessation of long distance procurement c. 1,900 cal BP

Abstract Until now, the evidence for imported obsidian along the south coast of Papua New Guinea has been limited to eleven excavated sites all dating after c. 2,000 cal. BP. Here we present new archaeological evidence for the sourcing and importation of 4,689 obsidian artefacts from 30 excavated sites at Caution Bay. pXRF analysis of a sample of the artefacts revealed that all but one came from a source on West Fergusson Island some 670 km away. During Lapita (here beginning c. 2,950 cal. BP) and post-Lapita times, the proportion of sites with obsidian artefacts was high, and remained so for a thousand years before suddenly ceasing c. 1,900 cal. BP. Technological analyses of obsidian artefacts from Bogi 1 and ABKL—the richest obsidian sites at Caution Bay—indicate intense unipolar and bipolar reduction and the occasional recycling of unipolar flakes into bipolar cores during both Lapita and post-Lapita times. We suggest that this is a result of the importation of obsidian to Caution Bay through down-the-line exchange.

A post-contact Aboriginal mortuary tree from southwestern Victoria, Australia

Abstract Here we document the investigation of the first Australian Aboriginal mortuary tree found since the early 20th century and the first studied by archaeologists and Aboriginal traditional owners. In 2001, a landowner discovered Aboriginal skeletal remains inside a fallen, dead tree while evaluating the tree’s potential as firewood, leading to the investigation of the site. The tree was located near Moyston, in southwestern Victoria, in traditional Djab Wurrung country and held the partial skeletons of three Aboriginal individuals—two adults and a child. Clay pipe-stem wear on several teeth belonging to the two adults indicates that these remains were broadly contemporaneous secondary placements from the early post-contact period (ca. a.d. 1835–1845). Along with five additional mortuary trees within 30 km of the Moyston tree, this practice constitutes a previously unknown traditional mortuary pattern and contributes to our understanding of the complex mortuary behavior of the Aboriginal people of southwestern Victoria.