Tricks, Traps, and Tunnels: A Study of Refuge Caves of Hawai'i Island

Abstract

in order to clarify the role of refuge caves in Hawaiian prehistory, this article examines their spatial distribution on Hawai 'i Island. The location of 55 refuge caves is compared to the distribution of the settlements and royal centers that existed on the island in the late 18th century. It is suggested that the concentration of refuge caves in the Kona area corresponds to the cluster of royal centers there. This is indicative of intensive precautionary measures that were most necessary in the late 18th century, specifically in the period of Kamehameha 's wars of conquest.