Premium
The prehistoric chronology of Raoul Island, the Kermadec Group
Author(s) -
Higham Thomas,
Johnson Leigh
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
archaeology in oceania
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1834-4453
pISSN - 0728-4896
DOI - 10.1002/j.1834-4453.1997.tb00389.x
Subject(s) - radiocarbon dating , prehistory , chronology , archaeology , geology , horizon , settlement (finance) , geography , physics , astronomy , world wide web , computer science , payment
Raoul, the largest of the Kermadec group of islands, has been investigated twice by archaeologists and radiocarbon dating of the south‐east end of the Low Flat site has resulted in 10th century AD age estimates. We have re‐dated the critical south‐east end of the lower settlement horizon and the overlying upper settlement horizon at Low Flat using shell samples. We conclude that the two horizons represent a short term settlement sequence. In addition, an appraisal of the radiocarbon results remaining after those affected by the use of old wood in prehistory have been discarded has shown that they are statistically indistinguishable. We suggest that prehistoric occupation on the island was brief and confined to the 14th century AD. Because of the presence of Mayor Island obsidian in the cultural deposits at Low Flat, the pooled mean of the acceptable radiocarbon determinations (ca. 550–650 BP) represents a minimum age for the settlement of New Zealand.