List of figures

Figure 3.1. Localities in the western Solomons where terraced irrigated taro (ruta) has been reported and surveyed.

Figure 3.2. Eongo Ruta 2 showing the seven pondfields surviving after damage by loggers, and the location of the first excavation (Square 4).

Figure 3.3. Cross-section through five pondfields in Eongo Ruta 2, from point Y to point Z in Figure 3.2.

Figure 3.4. Cross-sections through the ruta terrace walls at points W and X of Eongo Ruta 2 (see Figure 3.2).

Figure 3.5. Detail of the map of Eongo Ruta 2 showing a buried linear feature that we interpret as the foundations of a ‘proto-ruta’ wall.

Figure 3.6. West-face stratigraphic diagram of the Eongo Ruta 2 Squares 4 and 5, showing two similar AMS dates based on charred Canarium nut from bulk sieved samples taken from Spit 6 (50–60 cm) and Spit 8 (70–80 cm).

Figure 4.1. Location of sites where major rescue archaeology and CRM projects have been undertaken in New Caledonia.

Figure 4.2. Large-scale excavation underway on site TON6 of Naïa by Colin Smart in 1966–67.

Figure 4.3. The nearly 1-hectare excavation of the Deva sand quarry at the end of the CRM project.

Figure 4.4. Synthesis map of the different excavations undertaken between 2008 and 2012 on the hotel and golf course settings of Deva, with the general chronological progression of the coastal dunes over the last 3000 years.

Figure 4.5. Example of flexed burials in pits, excavated in the south-western area of Deva’s sand quarry.

Figure 5.1. Vanuatu archipelago (Malakula, Efate and Tanna infilled).

Figure 5.2. Range of stone features found in nasara: (a) tubular standing stones, Vao mainland, north Malakula; (b) stone platforms and standing stones, Tenmiel, north-west Malakula; (c) standing flat slab of beach rock with cupules, Lamap, south-east Malakula; (d) carved tubular standing stone, South-West Bay, Malakula.

Figure 5.3. (a) Acropora coral sourced directly from the reef and incorporated into the nasara structure, Uripiv Island; (b) tubular stone at nasara on the high point of northern Malakula.

Figure 5.4. (a) Roi Mata burials, Retoka Island, Efate (Garanger 1972:Figure 153); (b) circular feature, 110 m in diameter, cut through by road, Eratap, Efate. Black bar is 50 m.

Figure 5.5. Exchange items at a Nial (food exchange) ceremony, Tanna, July 2017: (a) a wall of yams stacked more than 2 m high; (b) pigs and kava.

Figure 6.1. Location map of Manim rock shelter in Papua New Guinea.

Figure 6.2. Site plan of excavations at Manim rock shelter (top left), with east–west cross-sectional view (top right), and section of south wall of Test Units D, A and I (bottom).

Figure 6.3. The oldest ground axe-adzes from Level 21, Quadrant 6, Test Unit I at Manim rock shelter (Burton 1984:Figure 10.14, reproduced with permission): left—artefact 6280A; right—artefact 6280.

Figure 6.4. Distribution of debitage (comprising cores, flakes and ‘uncertain’ (as classified by Mangi 1984:vol. 2)) within Test Unit I and Quadrant 6; Test Unit I also depicted.

Figure 7.1. Hafted trade axe, 19th century, Roviana Lagoon.

Figure 7.2. Some Simbo and Roviana trade partnerships recorded in western New Georgia.

Figure 8.1. The western Solomon Islands and its languages.

Figure 8.2. Roviana ancestral skull shrine.

Figure 8.3. Early Bao Period shrine in Roviana.

Figure 8.4. The Roviana chief (H)Ingava wearing a bakiha rapoto and hokata (arm-rings), both forms of poata.

Figure 8.5. Export of copra and turtle shell from the Solomons in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Figure 9.1. A typical Melanesian spread. Note the addition of white rice and instant noodles to the traditional yams, fish, bananas and fruit.

Figure 9.2. Plan maps of excavated areas: (a) G. Gordon House, Dillon’s Bay, Erromango; (b) ‘New Kwaraka’, Kwamera area, Tanna; (c) Imua Mission House, Kwamera area, Tanna.

Figure 9.3. Pollen percentage diagram from G. Gordon House and Undam, Erromango Island, and Imua and New Kwaraka, Tanna Island (+ = found after count).

Figure 9.4. Phytolith percentage and starch diagram from G. Gordon House and Undam, Erromango Island, and Imua and New Kwaraka, Tanna Island (+ = found after count, ++ = present).

Figure 10.1. Systemic to archaeological context of shellfishing (after Schiffer 1972).

Figure 10.2. Photos of the shellfishing stages from gathering, processing and discard.

Figure 10.3. Langalanga and Lau lagoons, geography and environmental differences.

Figure 10.4. Breakage patterns on Lambis lambis from processing.

Figure 11.1. Map of New Caledonia with the location of the different sites mentioned in the text.

Figure 11.2. View of the Faténaoué mummies at the beginning of the 1930s (courtesy Archives de la Nouvelle-Calédonie—Fonds Ernest Lauchlan Sinclair—139Fi).

Figure 11.3. The mummies of Faténaoué as they were during the 2001 archaeo-anthropological study.

Figure 11.4. The form of the three baskets still visible in the Faténaoué burial shelter.

Figure 11.5. Alignment of skulls in a Kanak funerary outcrop (courtesy Archives du Musée Néo-Calédonien).

Figure 13.1. Analytical terminology of a ceramic chaîne opératoire.

Figure 13.2. A modern chaîne opératoire of a Madang-style bodi.

Figure 13.3. Photographs of Yabob pottery-making in 1968 taken by Robin Hide.

Figure 13.4. Five archaeological chaînes opératoires represented on Bilbil Island in the archaeological past.