EDXRF Analysis of Lithics from Lapakahi State Historical Park, Kohala District, Hawai‘i Island

Abstract

We used energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) to geochemically characterize legacy lithic collections from William Bonk’s 1969 Lapakahi excavations in the southern portions of Koai‘e Village, including volcanic glass, basalt debitage, abraders, and stone sinkers. A contemporary collection of a volcanic glass surface scatter in Lapakahi also improved our sample size, and expands on the lithic sourcing work for leeward Kohala regions immediately to the south. Significant findings include the abundance of volcanic glass from Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a in excess of previously published predictive models, and the absence of any adze material from the nearby Pololū adze quarry. Furthermore, lead (Pb) residue on abraders imported from a Mauna Loa source confirms the use of scoria abraders in the historical era.