Stemmed Tools, Social Interaction, and Voyaging in Early–Mid Holocene Papua New Guinea

ABSTRACT

To assess the proposal that the widespread distribution of early–mid Holocene obsidian stemmed tools in Papua New Guinea signifies wide ranging social networks, studies of their morphology, technology, and geochemical composition were conducted. It is argued that strong similarities in technology and form of artifacts made from both Manus and New Britain obsidians and their characterization to only one sub-source in each region indicate significant social interaction between these two island groups. Away from the obsidian sources, stemmed tools made from local raw material as well as imported obsidian suggest knowledge and practices were also distributed through a series of overlapping social networks. Long-distance voyaging to confirm and enhance status might explain the far-flung distribution of some tools. The new data about stemmed tool production on Manus and the early use of the Umleang-Umrei sub-source highlight the importance of further research in that region.

Keywords:

• chemical characterization
• obsidian
• portable XRF
• Papua New Guinea
• social networks

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Funding was received from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Museum, and assistance provided by the National Museum of Papua New Guinea, West New Britain Provincial Cultural Centre, New Britain Palm Oil, Ltd., Hargy Oil Palms Ltd., Mahonia Na Dari Research Station, and Walindi Plantation. We thank the University of Sydney for use of the PXRF. We gratefully acknowledge colleagues for sharing source samples, alerting us to relevant artifacts and literature, and providing invaluable advice: Wal Ambrose, Herman Mandui, Christina Pavlides, Christian Reepmeyer, Peter Sheppard, Jim Specht, Pamela Swadling, and Glenn Summerhayes. The Australian PXRF mob gave support and assistance: Val Attenbrow, Trudy Doelman, Peter Jia, and Peter Grave. We are grateful to Bruce Kaiser for all manner of information and advice regarding PXRF instrumentation, Mike Dobby for assistance with radiation protocols in Europe, and Michael Glascock (MURR) for sharing XRF data. Collection managers provided access to material, information about the objects, assistance with photography, and good company: Alu Guise and Herman Mandui (National Museum of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby); Penny Ikinger and Ron Vanderwal (Museum Victoria, Melbourne); Jeremy Coote and Jeremy Uden (Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford); Ingrid Heerman (Linden Museum, Stuttgart); Alexandra Wessel and Flavia Abele (Museum der Kulturen, Basil); and Alexis von Poser and Marcus Schindlbeck (Ethnologisches Museum, Berlin). John Ray, Riccard Reimann, Julius Violaris, and Andrew Moutu were gracious hosts during our visits to Papua New Guinea. We also thank the private collectors for lending objects or facilitating visits: Graham King (Hargy Oil Palms Ltd.), Lesley Martin, Arthur Palmer, Riccard Reimann, and Col Young. Pamela Swadling graciously contributed Figure 1. Comments by Jim Specht and three reviewers helped clarify our ideas.