Dissertation: Archaeology of the Western Caroline Islands

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Under the direction of Dr. William Ayres, Mr. Scott Fitzpatrick will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. He will conduct archaeological research on the island of Palau located in the Pacific Western Carolines Islands and couple this with trace element analysis of lithic samples collected. The island of Yap, located ca. 400 nautical miles from Palau is well known to archaeologists for its use of stone money and examples, some weighing many tons, have been discovered on the island. These stones were carved into flattened circular shapes with a single hole cut into the center. Specific value was attributed by a complicated system based in part on the history of each stone and they served as recognized currency. They also brought prestige and power to their owners. Although some stones were carved from local rock, many were fashioned and transported by canoe from the island of Palau and this practice has been ethnographically described since it continued into historic times. At least in the recent past, Yap islanders would travel to Palau and pay, either in the form of goods or labor, for the right to mine and transport the raw material. However it is unclear when this practice originated, how prehistoric mining was conducted and what ties might have existed between specific villages or groups on Yap and Palau. Through a program of archaeological excavation and chemical analysis of raw materials Mr. Fitzpatrick will address these issues. He will conduct excavations at two quarry sites which likely contain pottery, production waste and other cultural materials. Organic samples will be collected for radiocarbon dating. With such data it should be possible to date the probable origin and subsequent development of stone extraction. Through a chemical analysis of both worked and parent material, it should also be possible to determine what types of rocks were most frequently utilized and determine why such was the case. Mr. Fitzpatrick will also evaluate the possibility of tracing individual pieces of money back to a specific quarry source. Through trace element analysis he will establish the range of variability within the single source and the degree of overlap among different sources. If distinctive "chemical fingerprints" can be distinguished, then sourcing should be possible.At the time of first western contact, many Pacific societies were highly stratified and had complex forms of social organization. Anthropologists wish to understand how these developed over time and believe that control and manipulation of trade played a major role. Yap and Palau provide an excellent situation in which to examine this question. The results of this work will be of interest to many archaeologists. The project will also assist in training a promising young scientist.