Artifactual Landscape: Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i

Abstract

Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i, is the location of new research formulated to examine early Hawaiian settlement patterns and economic practices from an innovative perspective. The re­search is designed to examine the geomorphological modifica­tions produced by Hawaiian utilization of the landscape, especially those pertaining to early horticultural activities. I consider the landscape alterations to be examples of Hawaiian artifacts, defined in the broadest sense as, "anything that has been influenced by human activity ... plowed fields ... pollut­ed streams" (Rathje and Schiffer 1982).