Stone Adze Production and Resource Extraction at Pohakuloa, Hawai'i Island

Abstract

Detailed study of adze production sites at Pohakuloa by the University of Hawai 'i Archaeological Field School provided new insights on traditional Hawaiian economic organization. Most importantly, these sites reveal that Mauna Kea basalt was used to manufacture adzes outside of the main quarry. Moreover, there is strong evidence that adze production and use at Pohakuloa was embedded in a broader economy of resource extraction that included bird catching, volcanic glass reduction, and other activities. This pattern of expedient adze production was markedly different than the Mauna Kea system that focused on highly intensified craft specialization. Findings from Pohakuloa confirm that economic models of traditional Hawaiian society must also account for non-specialized modes of production.