3 SURFACE ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF TO'AGA T. L. HuNT ~T'HE SAmoAN LANscAPE has been shaped by a long history of human setlement and resource exploitadon. Such evidence of settlement and land use, both past and present, is distributed more-or-less continuously across the island landscapes of Samoa. Isolated arfifacts, feaus, sites, and site complexes cover much of the Samoan Islands and vary signifi- cantly in relative density (e.g., Davidson 1974:242). The continuous nature of archaeological remains, often expressed in terms of "non-site archaeology" requires documenting the distributional pattems of material culture in space (Thomas 1974; Dunnell and Dancey 1983). This is in contrast to isolating "sites" as dense clusters and ignoring the lower density distributions that infonn upon a varety of peistoric activities and their spadal distribution. The "non-site" approach has proven useful elsewhere in Oceania where the vestige of entire settlement-subsistence patterns have been documented (e.g., Green 1980; Kirch and Yen 1982; Weisler and Kirch 1985). Ideally, entire archaeological lamdscapes (spatial pattems) must be recorded in detail, although this ultimate objective must usually be met though the gradual accumulation of survey data over many years of effort This chapter describes the surface features recorded along systematic tansects on the coastal tenrace of To'aga (Site AS-13-1). As elsewhere in Manu'a, the "site" was defined by natural landscape boundaries rather an by the relative density of arifacts or architecturl remains. Thus, Site AS-13-1 comprises the area from the shoreline to the steep slopes and cliffs, the coastal ter-ace described in detail in chapter 2. Field Methods A systematic survey of the surface features at To'aga was accomplished using tanscts set frm the beach to the steep slopes of the interior cliffs. In 1986 a baseline was set out along the coastal road with lateral trans about 30 meters in width made at every 100-meter interval. This resulted in 18 survey transects that covered approximately 4.4 hectares of the coastal terrace. Shrub vegetation, often dense, was cleared from these transects. Without extensive clearing of ground cover and other vegetation, some areas had very poor surface visibility. This means surface features were undoubtedly missed, even in transects cleared of some vegetation. AU surface feaues and artifacts discovered on the unsects were recorded for provenience, de- scrbed, and many were also mapped using a tape and compass. Other features encountered during field- work (in all three seasons) were wecorded in the same way. Fmally, well-known features or monumental constructions were located with local guides and recorded as well. 24 The To'aga Site Trnsects oriented perpendicular to the shoreline traverse the greatest range of geomor- phic diversity that may correlate with variation in settlement, land use, and age of surface features. Surface data acquired along systematic transects can be used to produce maps (with interpolaffons as desired) that reveal pattem and structure in the archaeological remains. In short, this kind of systematic strategy provides a means to record, in some detail, the spatial configuration and variety of archaeological remains while producing an informative, albeit partial, picture of the broader archaeological landscape. Results Much of the coastal land of the south coast of Ofu Island, from the areas known properly as To'aga to Fa'ala'aga, appears to have a near continuous distribution of archaeological remains on the surface. In most areas where vegetation pennitted visibility of the ground surface, evi- dence of habitation and land use was present. Figure 3.1 shows the location of archaeological surface features recorded in the survey transects. These features, shown by consecutive numbers, are listed and described in table 3.1. The surface features recorded include basalt and coral boulder alignments usually of curved and oval form (house foundations) with coral and basalt pebble paving ('il'ili, e.g., figure 3.2); small oval or rectangular boulder alignments that appear to mark burials or are simply the partial remnants of house foundations; a massive, fine-grained talus boulder used for multiple (twelve) grinding basins/ surfaces (figure 3.3); pits with associated boulder slab lining in several places, probably the remains from the production of fennented breadfruit (lua'i mast); and long (inland-seaward oriented) single course alignments which appear to have served (and may continue to serve) as land boundary markers. Particularly noteworthy is a complex that includes the locally well-known Tui Ofu Well (Feature 23, figure 3.4) and Tui Ofu Tia (monu- mental tomb, Feature 24, figure 3.5). Situated near the eastem end of the coastal flat of southem Ofu (near Fa'ala'aga), these monumental constnrc- tions are traditionally associated with the high- ranking title Tui Ofu ("king of Ofu"). The Tui Ofu Well is a relatively elaborate construction of waterwom basalt boulders arranged in a rounded form that includes a sloped concourse as well as a small paved court around the excavated shaft. The depth of the shaft from the sunrounding court is 2.1 m. The Tui Ofu Tia (tomb) comprises a crudely terraced mound of basalt boulders (both rough and waterwom) that is set in against the massive talus and steep slope rising on the inland side of this area. A small pit lies among the boulder rubble on the uppermost terrace of the mound. No artifacts or other cultural materials were observed at the structure, except that omamental plants, such as crotons, have been planted around the base of the mound. The survey along transects has yielded data on only part of the surface record at To'aga. Other features will be found with more intensive cover- age of the area. A more complete survey of surface remains at To'aga will require extensive clearing of vegetation which restricts access to parts of the coastal lands or obscures visibility. The geomorphic evidence (described in chapters 2, 4 and 5) suggests that the present surface at To'aga is less than 1000 year B.P., and very recent in some areas where colluvial and eolian (i.e., primarily calcareous beach sediment) deposition continues. Thus the surface evidence represents late prehistoric and historic activities on the coastal terrace. This observation is supported by excavation and geomorphic data (Kirch and Hunt, chapter 5). Many of the surface features are probably pene-contemporaneous, at least in archaeological time-frames. The surface features at To'aga are similar in their formal variability to those documented elsewhere in Manu'a (Hunt and Kirch 1988) and other islands of Samoa (e.g., Clark and Herdrch 1988; Davidson 1974; Green and Davidson 1969, 1974; Jennings et al. 1976, 1982; Jennings and Holmer 1980). The architectural remains present at To'aga do not reflect the full range known for Swface Archaeological Features 25 Figure 3.1 Map of the southrn portion of Ofu Island, from To'aga to Fa'aia'aga, showing the location of surface archaeological features (1-26) of site AS-13-1. Figure 3.2 Plan of round-ended stone house foundation (Feature 19); the shaded area is paved with coral and basalt gravel ('ili'ili). 0 so 1 2m A AA 26 The To'aga Site i I I I II I Po P ItC c I ? 3 , _ t _ _ _ _ ^ _ _~~~~~~~.0. cb 'O a c- a ?a.- ... 5 ... .*m .*m .*m *m1S m m ON m m mm m im Wm m _ - _ __e N N N (4 N N I II i 0I 1 1 II I I a i I I I * s ) (o 6 _ esn '.4 o " n xo Aen 53s s s S 5 q Cf) C) C> t- qqt P-400 0 (:mm In V-4 o 9 x x Cq lqt 04aC> C x x C) tn tnmW)0 cc; J: 46(7A v-4 0 V-4 V-4 P-4 W-4NW 19 WI) 1-i V-4 x Q m C-i S o r. _ S v) ) 0 Q O; Q s Q .1 63 co co el E o c o en ut Q . _ wosoo _ _ = 3 : 0 m(mA *8 *_& a ms m 10 C = = 2 ai 7i ? S i S K iS 0~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0 0~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0 6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~c > ] :t;;88r8r wt ?E6Ew c To v :s I) - . go _ _ m _ go Surface Archaeological Features 27 _] ~~~~~~~~ _B~~~~~~ .XtW ~~~~~~~ g l~~~~~ 1E Z _~~~~~~b | -~~~~~~~~b Figure 3.4 Plan and cross section of the Tui Ofu well at Muli'ulu. 28 The To'aga Site A A r,. A' A- 2r A Figure 3.5 Plan and cross section of the the Tui Ofu Tia, stone mound/tomb at Muli'ulu. Surface Archaeological Features 29 -A' n A' 30 The To'aga Site Samoa but do include forns linked to domestic activities. Only the Tui Ofu Well and Tui Ofu Tia represent structures of specialized function, indeed those associated with social rank. The available evidence suggests a redundant pattem of associated features which can be inter- preted as the remains of domestic compounds. The distribution of such habitation suggests dispersed settlement organized on the basis of descent groups, as represented in Samoan socio- economic organization documented ethnographi- cally (Mead 1930). The distribution of structural features also reveals late prehistoric and historic settlement situated primarily on the stabilized dune ridge. The surface and excavation evidence (Kirch and Hunt, chapter 5) suggests that occupation has centered on the high ground of stabilized sand dune ridges. As progradation of the To'aga coastal land occurred, settlements moved seaward. The archaeological evidence on today's relatively young surface reflects the last phase of habitation at To'aga. Thus, the setdement pattem marks continuity over To'aga's pre- and post-contact history. The primary focus of fieldwork at To'aga has been the definition and sampling of the subsurface deposits of the coastal terrace. Additional inten- sive surface survey is necessary to complete the picture that has emerged so far. REFERENCES CITED Clark, J. T., and D. J. Herdrich 1988. The Eastern Tutuila archaeological project: 1986 final report Unpublished manuscript, Office of Historic Preservation, Pago Pago. Dunnell, R. C., and W. S. Dancey 1983. The siteless survey: A regional scale data collec- tion strategy. Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory 6:267-87. Davidson, J. M. 1974. Samoan structural remains and settlement patterns. IN R. C. Green and J. M. Davidson, eds., Archaeology in Western Samoa, Vol. 1. Auckland Institute and Museum Bulletin 6. Green, R. C., and J. M. Davidson, eds. 1969. Archaeology in Western Samoa, Vol. 1. Auckland Institute and Museum Bulletin 6. Green, R. C., and J. M. Davidson, eds. 1974. Archaeology in Western Samoa, Vol. 2. Auckland Institute and Museum Bulletin 7. Hunt, T. L., and P. V. Kirch 1988. An archaeologi- cal survey of the Manu'a Islands, American Samoa. Journal of the Polynesian Society 97:153-83. Jennings, J. D., R. N. Holmer, J. C. Janetski, and H. L. Smith 1976. Excavations on Upolu, Western Samoa. Pacific Anthropological Records 25. Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Jennings, J. D., and R. N. Holmer, eds. 1980. Archaeological Excavations in Western Samoa. Pacific Anthropological Records 32. Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Jennings, J. D., R. N. Holmer, and G. Jackmond 1982. Samoan village pattems: Four examples. Journal of the Polynesian Society 91:81-102. Kirch, P. V., and D. E. 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