New Zealand Journal of Archaeology Index  >  Vol 27 Sand

 

NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY ISSN 0110~540X ABSTRACT

 

 

Historical Archaeology in Island

Melanesia:

First Research on the Convict Settlements

of New Caledonia

 

Christophe Sand1, Jacques Bolé1, André Ouetcho1

 

ABSTRACT

For a long time, archaeology in Melanesia has been almost totally focused on pre-

European studies. We present here for the first time the results of an archaeological

research programme on convict settlements on the Grande Terre (Big Island) of New

Caledonia. Penal settlement was a central drive of European immigration during the

second half of the nineteenth century in this French colony of Island Melanesia.

Archaeological excavation of buildings at Nouville, the central landing port off the

Noumea harbour, and in the convict camp of Teremba on the west coast of the

Grande Terre have started to fill some of the gaps around this major episode of New

Caledonia’s colonial history. The partial study of house structures and administrative

buildings but also of a large brick oven, a toilet area, a forge and rubbish pits, has

allowed us to diversify our data, with the discovery of a variety of related domestic

objects and long gone building artefacts like tiles. The analysis of this material has

shown specific trading patterns between France and New Caledonia, and the

avoidance of trade with Australia and New Zealand. These results are put in a

present-day social context, to highlight the new ways in which the younger

generations of the archipelago perceive their past.

 

Keywords: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, COLONIAL ARCHAEOLOGY,

CONVICT SETTLEMENTS, NEW CALEDONIA, NOUMEA, NOUVILLE,

TEREMBA, SOCIAL CONTEXT.

 

1Département Archéologie, Direction des Affaires Culturelles et Coutumiéres, PO Box 2685,

Noumea, New CaledoniaÓ Copyright New Zealand Archaeological Association.

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