Prehistoric human impacts on Rapa, French Polynesia

Douglas J Kennett, Atholl Anderson, Matthew Prebble, Eric Conte, J Southon

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

    Abstract

    New excavations and survey on the island of Rapa have shown that a rockshelter was occupied by early settlers around AD 1200 and the first hill forts were erected about 300 years later. Refortification occurred up to the contact period and proliferated around AD 1700. Taro cultivation in terraced pond-fields kept pace with the construction of forts. The authors make a connection between fort-building and making pond-fields, demonstrating that the pressure on resources provoked both the intensification of agriculture and hostility between the communities of the small island.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)340-354
    JournalAntiquity
    Volume80
    Issue number308
    Publication statusPublished - 2006

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