Bringing the available data about the prehistoric society on Rapa Nui together, the contours of the prehistory of this remarkable Island is about to become more distinct. These range from the identification of mineral pigments, human skeletal remains, phases in porcelains, stones, pottery shards, corrosion products and residues of organic materials such as resins and ivory. A review of some recently published archaeological work is also presented. May 11 Prof. The relevance of data from archaeology and genetics to the resolution of remaining problems will be discussed.
Several excavations provide chronological information about artefact morphology in the east.
Archaeological information about the west derives largely from a salvage operation during logging of the rainforest. In the period since written records, low population density, coastal settlement pattern and subsistence based on sago and fish have characterised the western end of Manus, contrasting with the east s inland agriculture. The seminar will describe the salvage project and some analytical problems posed by the resulting collections. I shall argue that the contrasts between east and west in both modern lifestyle and archaeological data allow consideration of the dynamics of change in Manus prehistory. This seminar will report on the first season of fieldwork at Yilpara in Blue Mud Bay, East Arnhem Land.