New Zealand Journal of
Archaeology Index > Vol 25 Weisler 1
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NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF
ARCHAEOLOGY ABSTRACT |
A Stone Tool Basalt Source
on ‘Ata, Southern Tonga
Marshall I. Weisler1
ABSTRACT
A geochemical analysis of debitage from the only known
fine-grained basalt source
(quarry) in Tonga is described, thus filling a
geographical gap that will enhance
artefact source assignments for prehistoric
interaction studies. Four pieces were
analysed from the most southern Tongan island of ‘Ata:
two flakes from an adze
workshop above a cobble beach and the source of the
basalt, and two additional
flakes from a habitation terrace on the upper plateau.
All material is geochemically
similar and from the same source. The flakes from the
habitation terrace were
associated with Polynesian plainware ceramics dated to
about 2000 BP, which makes
the ‘Ata source one of the oldest adze quarries now
known in Polynesia.
Key words: PREHISTORIC INTERACTION, POLYNESIA, TONGA, BASALT
SOURCE, X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS.
1School of Social
Science, The Michie Building, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld
4072 Australia. Email: m.weisler@uq.edu.au (formerly
Department of Anthropology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New
Zealand)
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Copyright New Zealand Archaeological Association.
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