Hematite in Hawai’i: Analyzing the Distribution of an Uncommon Lithic Tool Material
Date
06/01/15 12:00 AM
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14
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1
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1
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15
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Abstract
The examination of basalt and volcanic glass artifacts in Hawai‘i has played a fundamental role in developing our understanding of distribution and use of lithic materials in pre-Contact Hawai‘i. Yet, little archaeological inquiry has been dedicated to the examination of hematite as a tool-quality lithic raw material. Hematite is typically characterized as rare to the archipelago or unique to the island of Kaua‘i, represented as a geographically isolated material. We present data compiled from 632 hematite artifacts and manuports recovered from various cultural resource management and research-based projects throughout Hawai‘i. We examine the distribution of hematite artifacts (their presence and artifact forms) across the archipelago, and touch upon previous geochemical research outside of Hawai‘i that highlights the potential for using non-destructive energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and other geochemical characterization methods that have been utilized to conduct provenance based studies of hematite artifacts. We document the use of hematite artifacts on five of the main Hawaiian Islands with the highest frequencies located in proximity to a known or possible source location. A wide variety of artifact classes are represented, though they tend to have commonalities in the need for density and lustrousness. Although preliminary, our findings improve our understanding of hematite and its role in exchange and resource management systems in pre-contact Hawai‘i.
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hematite, energy dispersive
X-ray fluorescence, geochemical characterization methods, basalt, volcanic glass artifacts, geochemistry, artifacts, Mauna
Kea Adze Quarry, Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a
cinder cone, Hawai‘i Island, ahupua‘a, Lana‘i, Moloka‘i, O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, pounder, sinker
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16 pages
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