An obsidian point was discovered by chance by local people on Kapingamarangi Atoll, a Polynesian ... more An obsidian point was discovered by chance by local people on Kapingamarangi Atoll, a Polynesian Outlier in Micronesia. In addition to use-wear and residue analysis to identify its use, pXRF analysis conducted on it demonstrated that it was brought from the Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea over about 900 km. The information on other Admiralty obsidian artefacts found in western Oceania and other associated phenomena suggest that those artefacts were brought from the source through an interaction network between Micronesia and Melanesia during the first half of the second millennium AD. They had significant social value as prestige goods in the peripheral areas of the Admiralty obsidian circulation, serving as chiefly heirlooms and grave goods. In addition to skilful Caroline Islands seafarers, Polynesian Outlier populations had an important role in the interregional interactions during this dynamic period in the western Pacific, which was possibly activated by Polynesian intrusion into the region related to a larger Polynesian expansion into eastern Polynesia circa AD 1000. Further, we argue that the Saudeleur dynasty of Pohnpei, which achieved the development of a famous megalithic politico-religious centre, Nan Madol, was influential in the interaction sphere during its height in AD 1000–1500. Thus, by using archaeological, linguistic, historical, ethnological, oral traditional and DNA data, the interdisciplinary analysis of this rare obsidian artefact has deepened our understanding of post-settlement interaction in the region.
The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 2021
Geological analysis was conducted on a stone adze, which was accidentally dug up from an intertid... more Geological analysis was conducted on a stone adze, which was accidentally dug up from an intertidal dredging site on a reef flat in Pohnpei Island, Micronesia in the 1980s. Detailed geological observations identified the material as metamorphic rock (schist), not basalt as originally reported. This result places its source in the continental rocks of Island Melanesia, most probably New Guinea. The location where it was recovered suggests an age that may well go back to when the island was first settled in the early centuries AD. The eastern Micronesian homeland is often thought to be eastern Melanesia based on linguistic and archaeological evidence. The adze, which may have functioned as a prestige good, was possibly brought from their homeland by early settlers or their immediate successors, or imported from New Guinea by them, suggesting that they still had interaction with the Lapita homeland region even after the decline of Lapita long-distance communications. This is the first artifact found at an early settlement site in Micronesia that is documented to be imported from Melanesia and sheds light on a possible early eastern Micronesian settlers' interaction system.
Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only... more Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person. Authors control the copyright of their thesis. You will recognise the author's right to be identified as the author of this thesis, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate. You will obtain the author's permission before publishing any material from their thesis.
Waka Kuaka: Journal of the Polynesian Society, 2022
An obsidian point was discovered by chance by local people on Kapingamarangi Atoll, a Polynesian ... more An obsidian point was discovered by chance by local people on Kapingamarangi Atoll, a Polynesian Outlier in Micronesia. In addition to use-wear and residue analysis to identify its use, pXRF analysis conducted on it demonstrated that it was brought from the Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea over about 900 km. The information on other Admiralty obsidian artefacts found in western Oceania and other associated phenomena suggest that those artefacts were brought from the source through an interaction network between Micronesia and Melanesia during the first half of the second millennium AD. They had significant social value as prestige goods in the peripheral areas of the Admiralty obsidian circulation, serving as chiefly heirlooms and grave goods. In addition to skilful Caroline Islands seafarers, Polynesian Outlier populations had an important role in the interregional interactions during this dynamic period in the western Pacific, which was possibly activated by Polynesian intrusion into the region related to a larger Polynesian expansion into eastern Polynesia circa AD 1000. Further, we argue that the Saudeleur dynasty of Pohnpei, which achieved the development of a famous megalithic politico-religious centre, Nan Madol, was influential in the interaction sphere during its height in AD 1000–1500. Thus, by using archaeological, linguistic, historical, ethnological, oral traditional and DNA data, the interdisciplinary analysis of this rare obsidian artefact has deepened our understanding of post-settlement interaction in the region.
The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 2021
Geological analysis was conducted on a stone adze, which was accidentally dug up from an intertid... more Geological analysis was conducted on a stone adze, which was accidentally dug up from an intertidal dredging site on a reef flat in Pohnpei Island, Micronesia in the 1980s. Detailed geological observations identified the material as metamorphic rock (schist), not basalt as originally reported. This result places its source in the continental rocks of Island Melanesia, most probably New Guinea. The location where it was recovered suggests an age that may well go back to when the island was first settled in the early centuries AD. The eastern Micronesian homeland is often thought to be eastern Melanesia based on linguistic and archaeological evidence. The adze, which may have functioned as a prestige good, was possibly brought from their homeland by early settlers or their immediate successors, or imported from New Guinea by them, suggesting that they still had interaction with the Lapita homeland region even after the decline of Lapita long-distance communications. This is the first artifact found at an early settlement site in Micronesia that is documented to be imported from Melanesia and sheds light on a possible early eastern Micronesian settlers’ interaction system.
Nagaoka, T., 2017. Nan Madol from the Perspective of Archaeology and Oral Tradition. In O. Kataok... more Nagaoka, T., 2017. Nan Madol from the Perspective of Archaeology and Oral Tradition. In O. Kataoka, T. Nagaoka and T. Ishimura, Survey Report on the Preservation Status of the Megalithic Complex of Nan Madol and Sites on Temwen Island, Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia. Report submitted to the FSM National and Pohnpei Stat Historic Preservation Office, pp.94-101 (English and Japanese).
An obsidian point was discovered by chance by local people on Kapingamarangi Atoll, a Polynesian ... more An obsidian point was discovered by chance by local people on Kapingamarangi Atoll, a Polynesian Outlier in Micronesia. In addition to use-wear and residue analysis to identify its use, pXRF analysis conducted on it demonstrated that it was brought from the Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea over about 900 km. The information on other Admiralty obsidian artefacts found in western Oceania and other associated phenomena suggest that those artefacts were brought from the source through an interaction network between Micronesia and Melanesia during the first half of the second millennium AD. They had significant social value as prestige goods in the peripheral areas of the Admiralty obsidian circulation, serving as chiefly heirlooms and grave goods. In addition to skilful Caroline Islands seafarers, Polynesian Outlier populations had an important role in the interregional interactions during this dynamic period in the western Pacific, which was possibly activated by Polynesian intrusion into the region related to a larger Polynesian expansion into eastern Polynesia circa AD 1000. Further, we argue that the Saudeleur dynasty of Pohnpei, which achieved the development of a famous megalithic politico-religious centre, Nan Madol, was influential in the interaction sphere during its height in AD 1000–1500. Thus, by using archaeological, linguistic, historical, ethnological, oral traditional and DNA data, the interdisciplinary analysis of this rare obsidian artefact has deepened our understanding of post-settlement interaction in the region.
The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 2021
Geological analysis was conducted on a stone adze, which was accidentally dug up from an intertid... more Geological analysis was conducted on a stone adze, which was accidentally dug up from an intertidal dredging site on a reef flat in Pohnpei Island, Micronesia in the 1980s. Detailed geological observations identified the material as metamorphic rock (schist), not basalt as originally reported. This result places its source in the continental rocks of Island Melanesia, most probably New Guinea. The location where it was recovered suggests an age that may well go back to when the island was first settled in the early centuries AD. The eastern Micronesian homeland is often thought to be eastern Melanesia based on linguistic and archaeological evidence. The adze, which may have functioned as a prestige good, was possibly brought from their homeland by early settlers or their immediate successors, or imported from New Guinea by them, suggesting that they still had interaction with the Lapita homeland region even after the decline of Lapita long-distance communications. This is the first artifact found at an early settlement site in Micronesia that is documented to be imported from Melanesia and sheds light on a possible early eastern Micronesian settlers' interaction system.
Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only... more Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person. Authors control the copyright of their thesis. You will recognise the author's right to be identified as the author of this thesis, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate. You will obtain the author's permission before publishing any material from their thesis.
Waka Kuaka: Journal of the Polynesian Society, 2022
An obsidian point was discovered by chance by local people on Kapingamarangi Atoll, a Polynesian ... more An obsidian point was discovered by chance by local people on Kapingamarangi Atoll, a Polynesian Outlier in Micronesia. In addition to use-wear and residue analysis to identify its use, pXRF analysis conducted on it demonstrated that it was brought from the Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea over about 900 km. The information on other Admiralty obsidian artefacts found in western Oceania and other associated phenomena suggest that those artefacts were brought from the source through an interaction network between Micronesia and Melanesia during the first half of the second millennium AD. They had significant social value as prestige goods in the peripheral areas of the Admiralty obsidian circulation, serving as chiefly heirlooms and grave goods. In addition to skilful Caroline Islands seafarers, Polynesian Outlier populations had an important role in the interregional interactions during this dynamic period in the western Pacific, which was possibly activated by Polynesian intrusion into the region related to a larger Polynesian expansion into eastern Polynesia circa AD 1000. Further, we argue that the Saudeleur dynasty of Pohnpei, which achieved the development of a famous megalithic politico-religious centre, Nan Madol, was influential in the interaction sphere during its height in AD 1000–1500. Thus, by using archaeological, linguistic, historical, ethnological, oral traditional and DNA data, the interdisciplinary analysis of this rare obsidian artefact has deepened our understanding of post-settlement interaction in the region.
The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 2021
Geological analysis was conducted on a stone adze, which was accidentally dug up from an intertid... more Geological analysis was conducted on a stone adze, which was accidentally dug up from an intertidal dredging site on a reef flat in Pohnpei Island, Micronesia in the 1980s. Detailed geological observations identified the material as metamorphic rock (schist), not basalt as originally reported. This result places its source in the continental rocks of Island Melanesia, most probably New Guinea. The location where it was recovered suggests an age that may well go back to when the island was first settled in the early centuries AD. The eastern Micronesian homeland is often thought to be eastern Melanesia based on linguistic and archaeological evidence. The adze, which may have functioned as a prestige good, was possibly brought from their homeland by early settlers or their immediate successors, or imported from New Guinea by them, suggesting that they still had interaction with the Lapita homeland region even after the decline of Lapita long-distance communications. This is the first artifact found at an early settlement site in Micronesia that is documented to be imported from Melanesia and sheds light on a possible early eastern Micronesian settlers’ interaction system.
Nagaoka, T., 2017. Nan Madol from the Perspective of Archaeology and Oral Tradition. In O. Kataok... more Nagaoka, T., 2017. Nan Madol from the Perspective of Archaeology and Oral Tradition. In O. Kataoka, T. Nagaoka and T. Ishimura, Survey Report on the Preservation Status of the Megalithic Complex of Nan Madol and Sites on Temwen Island, Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia. Report submitted to the FSM National and Pohnpei Stat Historic Preservation Office, pp.94-101 (English and Japanese).
LIST OF FIGURES 1. Location of five surveyed malal complexes in Yap Island…………………………………………4 2. Ae... more LIST OF FIGURES 1. Location of five surveyed malal complexes in Yap Island…………………………………………4 2. Aerial photo of Balayat malal complex…………………………………………………………….6 3. Plan of Balayat malal complex…………………………………………………………………….7 4. Malal nu Balayat…………………………………………………………………………………...8 5. Two slab rorow and two tall magrey on both sides on Wunbey ni Balea'r, Balayat malal complex……………………………………………………………………………………………8 6. The northern section delineated by rows of magrey on Wunbey ni Balea'r, Balayat malal complex……………………………………………………………………………………………9 7. The row of rai along the northern end of Wunbey ko Pebaey nu Balayat, Balayat malal complex……………………………………………………………………………………………9 8. The sacred stone "
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Papers by Takuya Nagaoka