Archaeological and Paleoenvironmental Research on Maupiti island, French Polynesia

Archaeological and paleo-environmental research activities (i.e. pollen coring, sediment sampling) were carried out on Maupiti Island during a one month period. A primary goal was to locate and sample subsurface depositional contexts containing stra- tigraphic records of island biota and zooarchaeological assemblages to track shifts in human-environmental interactions through time. A second goal was to locate, excavate, and chronometrically date coastal and inland archaeological deposits to develop a chronological sequence for the island’s settlement and use. Site survey in the Haranai Valley located previously undocumented archaeological sites with residential and subsistence functions. Excavations at three coastal and two inland archaeological sites demonstrated island occupation from the mid-1400s onward. Service de la Culture et du Patrimoine Bilan de la recherche archéologique en Polynésie française 2005-2015. Dossier d’Archeologie polynésienne 6