ANTHRO 306

What abiotic factor is thought to influence soil erosion, agricultural productivity and possibly social-complexity?

• Sea-level change

• Prevailing trade winds

• Introduced species

• Storms

Answer explanation

Not only are prevailing trade winds considered important mechanisms of ancient seafaring, they are driving forces for key environmental and potential socio-political complexity due to their influence on island natural resources.

The ____ _____ is the term used to characterise the break in Samoa and Tonga people took before venturing out further into Central East Polynesia

(a)  

Answer explanation

The Long Pause determines the movement that people stop voyaging once reaching Samoa and Tonga for about 2000 years before then voyaging out into Central East Polynesia

Vanuatu has a lot more of these than most islands

• Forests

• Lagoons

• Lapita sites

• Cyclones

The Tongan_______ ________ is considered one of the most complex in Polynesia

(a)  

Answer explanation

Tongan Marine chiefdom is characterised by monumental architecture and evidence for exotic basalt artefacts reflected in Tongan sites

___ _____ ____ ________ describes when people exploit and manage different resources over time and are not exclusively "hunter gatherers" or "agriculturalists".

(a)  

The single Lapita site in Samoa is at

• Falefa

• Mulifanua

• There are multiple sites.

• Lalomanu

Answer explanation

•One Lapita colonization site dating to 2800 BP - Mulifanua

•Few coastal plains suitable for settlement

•Sedimentation and coastal subsidence

Over 70 Lapita-age burials, many with highly decorated Lapita pots and associated with complex mortuary rituals are found at

• Bourewa

• Kuk

• Teouma

• Sigatoka

Answer explanation

•70+ individuals

•c. 3000 BP

•Isotope analysis shows local and non-local people

Tree-based agriculture is also called (a)   .

Answer explanation

Arboriculture (tree-based agriculture). A part of the diet in the late Pleistocene and Holocene derived from nut trees including Cocos, Canarium, Aleurites (candle nut, kukui Canarium is indigenous to NG and was likely intentionally introduced to the offshore islands.

So after 20kya there is increasing evidence for nut-tree manipulation, aboriculture, added to the manipulation of root crop plants such as Colocasia (from Kilu).

Subsistence practices for ancient peoples occupying the highlands in New Guinea can be described as

• Marine resources

• a variety of resources

• grassland resources only

• arboriculture

Answer explanation

Earliest highlanders in NG probably exploited grassland and swamp resources like Pandanus as well as hunting/scavenging forest resources including megafauna.  Similar subsistence behaviours suggested across highlands.  Also evidence for human manipulation of environment.

Lapita pottery found in New Caledonia demonstrates

• No variation

• Local variation and change in pottery styles

• No dentate stamping or elaborate pottery

• Only plainware

Answer explanation

Like Vanuatu there is an increase in diversity after initial introduction of Lapita

•Local variation and change in pottery styles

•Fortifications