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Function and development in the East New Guinea Highlands
Author(s) -
Cole J. David
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
archaeology in oceania
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1834-4453
pISSN - 0728-4896
DOI - 10.1002/j.1834-4453.1996.tb00342.x
Subject(s) - watson , archaeology , new guinea , human settlement , geography , function (biology) , interpretation (philosophy) , history , ethnology , evolutionary biology , natural language processing , biology , computer science , programming language
This paper reviews the author's 1966–1967 fieldwork and re‐interprets conclusions published by Watson and Cole in 1977. In this study I add an analysis of tool and site function to Watson's typological classification. This approach suggests that the Mamu phase is the product of outsiders who exploited the Tairora valley with hunting – and possibly gathering and trading — forays from base settlements to the north or west. The project area was not permanently inhabited until the end of Mamu times at approximately 3500 BP. At that time settlers from the west or north advanced their frontiers into the Tairora valley and became permanent residents. This interpretation is supported by other archaeological and palaeoenvironmental data from the Eastern Highlands.