Late Holocene interaction in the South-western Pacific: A view from the obsidian sources in Northern...

30
ASIA 3050 / 6050 – World Heritage Asia Pacific Late Holocene interaction in the South-western Pacific: A view from the obsidian sources in Northern Vanuatu Christian Reepmeyer CAR seminar series – AUG 2012

Transcript of Late Holocene interaction in the South-western Pacific: A view from the obsidian sources in Northern...

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

ic

Late Holocene interaction in the South-western Pacific:A view from the obsidian sources in Northern Vanuatu

Christian Reepmeyer CAR seminar series – AUG 2012

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

MapSummary statistics 21 assemblages included in the dataset2665 total artefacts2177 obsidian artefacts589 geochemical analyses

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Research aims

1. Identify obsidian sources in Northern Vanuatu and analyse the sources in the detail geochemically– Do more sub-sources exist than the two locations identified previously?

2. Identify the processes of social interaction in the Lapita and post-Lapita phase based on technological and geochemical analysis of flaked stone material– Are similarities and differences raw material dependent?

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

3000 - 2900 BP

3400 BP

3200 - 3100 BP

Lapita expansion

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

TransitionBedford and Spri ggs (200 8:107)

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Cultural diversification today

Bedford and Spriggs 2007, AP 47(1):95-120

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Obsidian sources in the West Pacific

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Obsidian distribution: 3000BP

2,400km

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Obsidian distribution: 2500BP

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Obsidian distribution: 2000BP

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Obsidian distribution: 800 - 1000BP

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Modelling cultural diversification

Intensity

End of obsidian exchangeinto central Vanuatu

Kutau/Bao exchange

Mopir and Fergussonexchange

Tikopia exchange

Banks Islands obsidian exchange

Cultural d

iversity

End of Lapita in centralVanuatu

Tikopia:Kiki-Sinapuputransition

Start of aceramic phase on

several islands

Tikopia:Sinapupu-Tuakamali

transition

Inter-island contact

BP

?

3200 2900 2600 2300 2000 1700 1500 1200 900 600 300

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Theoretical framework

Economic theory– Focus on structural aspects of exchange systems, such as the development of social hierarchies

Theoretical ecology– Adaptation to environmental forces, minimising ‘risk’ in relation to unpredictable resource availability

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Theory of ‘value’Mercantilist approach:

– Physical attributes of material defining value

Classical economic approach:– Labour embodied in material defining value

Neoclassical economic approach:– Resource scarcity in relation to demand defining value

Substantivist approach:– Social relations established by interaction defining value

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Review – theoretical approaches

Obsidian as a trade object / subsistence commodity:

•Lapita cultural complex as a trade system– Obsidian objects are specifically made for exchange – alienable goods

– Objects have to satisfy human needs making them desirable to acquire• Subsistence item – Luxury item

– Trade between people who are ethnically diverse and do not share the same cultural or economic background

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Review – theoretical approaches

Obsidian as a prestige object / ‘primitive valuable’:

•Lapita culture complex as a hierarchical system– Value of obsidian is defined through scarcity of detected obsidian deposits and the spatial extension of the Lapita exchange network

– Exchange of shell valuables are used as proxy for obsidian exchange – acquisition is related to institutions of power and status

– Transactors share social institutions and cultural background

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Review – theoretical approaches

Obsidian as a gift:

•Lapita cultural complex as connecting distant communities

– Derives from the initial interpretation of obsidian as a ‘prestige good’

– Focus on how the material flow underwrites or initiates social relations• Value not be measured through utility, energy investment or scarcity, but defined through its ability to make social relationships visible

– Obsidian is a symbol of exchange and not the item of exchange itself

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Review – theoretical approaches

Post-Lapita transformations:

•Continuation of exchange

•Break-down of exchange – disruption of hierarchical structure of society– not necessary to sustain individual communities

•‘Coloniser’ and ‘trader’ model

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Defining testable modelsDown-the-line exchange:

Regression formula for form and steepness of the fall-off curve outside the ‘supply zone’:

Log Y = a – bXα + e

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Defining testable modelsCentral place:

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Defining testable modelsRisk minimisation – commodity trade:

• Derives from the investigation of food sharing in the setting of small-scale societies

• Transactions are in tendency immediate

• Establishing relationships between objects and not between subjects

• Variance is substituted by the risk of resource failure

• Network activity should decrease in times of increased resource variabilityKaplan and Hill (1985:239, Fig.4)

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Defining testable modelsRisk minimisation – gift reciprocity:

• Concentrates on the development of social networks of obligations – debt economy

• Establishing relationships between subjects

• Networks support individuals of communities in times of crises

• Network activity increases during times of increased resource variability

Kaplan and Hill (1985:239, Fig.4)

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Results – WNB obsidianBest fit curve estimation for mean weight of artefacts

  Model Summary

EquationR

Square F df1 Sig.Linear 0.774 13.727 1.000 0.021Logarithmic 0.663 7.883 1.000 0.048Quadratic 0.871 10.170 2.000 0.046Cubic 0.970 21.509 3.000 0.045

West New Britain – source location

Reef Santa Cruz islands

Vanuatu

New Caledonia

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Results – WNB obsidianPearson’s correlation for steepness of curve • Highest correlation

α = 0 and 0.4 < α < 0.6

• Obsidian is not a high valued commodity

• Obsidian as social marker showing group affiliation in an unknown territory?

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Results – BI obsidianMean weight of debitage per distance zone and time period

BI-1 BI-2 BI-3 WNB

LapitaPost-Lapita – 1000 BPPost 1000 BP

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Results – BI obsidianBest fit curve estimation for mean weight of artefacts

Equation

Model SummaryR

Square F df1 df2 Sig.

Linear 0.876 14.098

1.000

2.000 0.064

Logarithmic 0.899 17.88

51.00

02.00

0 0.052Quadratic 0.995 95.55

62.00

01.00

0 0.072

Cubic 0.995 95.556

2.000

1.000 0.072

Vanua Lava – source location

Banks Islands

Torres islands

Santa Cruz islands

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Results – BI obsidianPearson’s correlation for steepness of curve

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Ecological interpretations

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Conclusions1. For the long-distance transported material of Kutau/Bao, down-the-

line relaying has been identified as the most likely process of transportation.

2. Sites in Vanuatu had no contact with the source location in West New Britain, only with sites in the Reef Santa Cruz islands.

3. Banks islands obsidian transportation during Lapita times do not show distance decay, which might suggest ‘embedded procurement’ of raw material.

4. Economical interpretation of the value of obsidian suggest low use value.

5. Long distance transportation has to be associated with alternative ‘uses’ of the raw material, such as group affiliation.

6. In the latest phase Banks islands obsidian follows linear distance decay suggesting direct access of groups to the source location.

7. Correlated with postulates for the mitigation of ‘risk’ for the latest period, increase of interaction cannot be associated with ‘trade’.

8. Re-invention of obsidian as a symbol of communication?

ASIA

3050

/ 6050

– Wor

ld Her

itage

Asia

Pacif

icCAR

semina

r seri

es - 2

012

Acknowledgments

Gaua: Victor Lini

Ureparapara:Harrison

Mota Lava: Franklyn Woleg

Vanua Lava: Eli Field Malau

Vanuatu Fieldworkers

Funding agencies and international collaboratorsAustralian National UniversityAustralian Research CouncilANSTOVanuatu Kaljoral Senta, Port Vila

Supervisors and AdvisorsMatthew SpriggsStuart BedfordRobin TorrencePeter HiscockWal Ambrose

Colleagues and friendsGeoffrey Clark, Charlotte Allen, Frank Brink, Steve Eggins, Feli Hopf, Iona Flett, Alex Mackay, Mirani Litster, Anna Willis, and everybody else I forgot to mention