Intrusion, integration and innovation on small and not‐so‐small islands with particular reference to Samoa

Investigations on small Polynesian outliers have illustrated how difficult it can be to identify archaeological evidence of intrusion, or to interpret the effect of any intrusion on the resident populations. In Samoa, the still meagre amount of artefactual and faunal remains from archaeological excavations adds to these problems. A review of the known Samoan archaeological sequence finds little or no evidence of intrusion, apart from a probable post‐settlement introduction of pigs and dogs. This need not mean that Samoa was ever isolated from contacts with other islands.