What is an artifact?

What is archaeology?

Artifacts are the things made by people, including tools, domestic implements, and ornaments.

Archaeology is a study of past cultures based on
physical evidence and supported by research ofwritten records and oral history. Througharchaeological research we seek answers toquestions about the past.

Fishhooks were made of bone andpearlshell and ranged in size
depending on the fish being caught.
Both one and two-piece hooks arecommon.

Why do archaeology?
In Hawaiçi today, many of the archaeologicalstudies are done when land development isproposed to determine if archaeological sites areknown or likely to be found on the land. Otherarchaeology is done as research projects. Eacharchaeological project contributes something to ourknowledge of the past.

Adzes were the major stone
tool made and used by theHawaiians. These forms werehafted and lashed onto ahandle for woodworking.

Huilua Fishpond, Kahana, Oçahu

Fishponds were built along shorelines and streams
to raise fish for ready harvest.

What is an archaeology site?
Sites are places where people lived, worked, andworshipped. Sites are marked by what people left
behind, including abandoned heiau and housesites,
agricultural terraces, fishponds, rock walls,
discarded tools and rubbish piles. Archaeologists
study these sites to learn more about how people
lived, where and when they lived, and how they
adapted to the natural environment.

An Introduction
to Hawaiian
Archaeology

Auger shells were drilled for theattachment of a string and used asa gourd stopper.

PRESERVE THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE

Agricultural terraces, Nä Pali, Kauaçi

Kalo

Agricultural terraces mark areas were the land waslevelled and stepped with rock walls for thecultivation of kalo, the staple Hawaiian crop.

Heiau are religious sites and are the largest andmost impressive Hawaiian sites. Defined bymassive stone platforms or extensive rock walls,
heiau illustrate the importance of religion in
Hawaiian culture. For these reasons, many heiau
have been preserved.
Kiçi pöhaku (petroglyphs)
are the forms carved orpecked on stone surfaces.
Many of these are humanforms. The papamü(checkerboard) was usedfor the game konane.

Drilled dog teeth were acommon ornament. These
teeth were lashed together
to make bracelets andanklets.

LEARNING
ABOUT HAWAII’SPAST

You are welcome to visit many of the Hawaiianarchaeological sites found in parks and botanicalgardens. However, you are asked to rememberthat these sites are fragile and subject to damage
and collapse. Please visit with respect and preserve
these cultural places for future generations.
• View the site from the exterior. Please do climb
on or over the rock walls. The stacked rock is
unstable and may collapse.
• It is unlawful to take, excavate, destroy, or alter
any historic site on state land. Any person whoviolates this law is subject to a fine of $10,000(HRS Chapter 6E-11).

Buried Living Floor, Coastal Dune, Oçahu

Cultural deposits indicate where people lived andare marked by charcoal staining, stone pavings,
artifacts, and midden.

E mälama no këia mua aku
Preserving the Past for the Future• Wrapping a rock in ati leaf is not a
traditional offering.
This damages theintegrity of the site.

STATE OF HAWAIçI
Department of Land &Natural Resources

For more information, contact the State
Department of Land and Natural Resources,
Historic Preservation and State Parks Divisions onHawaiçi, Kauaçi, Maui, and Oçahu.

SOCIETY FOR HAWAIIANARCHAEOLOGYThe sequence oflayers (stratigraphy)
is used for relative
dating - the deeper
the layer, the older
the occupation.

What do archaeologists do?
Archaeological research is conducted to learn more
about people of the past by studying what theyleft behind. Before going into the field,
archaeologists conduct research in libraries andarchives where they study written histories,moçolelo (traditional histories), maps, photographs,and previous archaeological reports for the area.
This research provides clues to what kinds ofarchaeological sites might be expected in the area.

MAKING SENSE: writing the report
Archaeological reports document the work
performed, interpret the findings, present
conclusions, and identify questions for future
research. These reports are maintained by the State
Historic Preservation Division.

What are the tools of the archaeologist?
During excavations, information
is both gathered and destroyed.
Therefore, it is important thatarchaeologists work slowly andcarefully to obtain all theinformation and record it
accurately. This means using
hand-tools, such as a trowel, dustpan, and brush.
Screens are used to gather what may be missed
when excavating.

DIGGING THE
PAST: excavation
By carefully digging
through layers of soil
and cultural remains,archaeologists gather
information on how
an area was used andhow people lived.
They excavate insquare units andmeasure distancesand depth in metrics.

The location of artifacts and features within the unit(context) is very important to understanding theuse, function, and relative age of the site.

Moçokini Heiau, North Kohala, HawaiçiPRESERVATION & INTERPRETATION:
products of archaeological research
Significant archaeological sites are preserved as animportant part of Hawaiçi’s unique cultural
history. Our understanding of the site from thearchaeological research can be shared in tours,signs, and brochures. Preserved sites can be foundin parks, gardens, resorts, golf courses, and otherattractions.

What can you do?

BACK AT THE LAB:
analyzing the finds

FINDINGS I T E S :surveyW a l k i n gsurveys are
conducted to locate sites, including surface
structures and buried cultural deposits.
Archaeologists record the sites they find withmaps, photographs, and written descriptions.
These sites may include rock walls, living floors,firepits, and refuse pits.

Concentrations of food remains (midden) indicate
what people ate and how they used theirenvironment. Tools (artifacts) are clues to theirtechnology. For example, the presence of manystone flakes (lithics) suggests an adze workshop
while a poi pounder indicated kalo (taro) in the diet.

Analysis of the excavatedmaterials provides a greater
understanding of past environments,
lifestyles, and technology. Analysis may
be as simple as the weighing of shell and bone
to learn about diet and ecology. Or it may involve
complex microscopic analysis of plant remains(pollen) and soil to study past environments.
Charcoal is dated (radiocarbon dating) to establish
a chronology for site use.

You can become a site steward and help protect
Hawaiçi’s archaeological sites from damage andvandalism. Report disturbances, share yourknowledge, and educate others.

Interpretive Sign at Halekiçi and Pihana Heiau, Maui