CHAPTER 7 AN ACERAMIC MIDDEN ON EMUSSAU ISLAND (SITE EKS) MARSHALL 1. WEISLER Emussau is a nearly circular island - 2 revealed in this gardening zone, and a cultural layer was km E of Eloaua Island and 1 km SE also recorded in five recent wells towards the inland of Boliu Island (Fig. 7. 1). The island's extent of the site, -100 m from the shoreline. Numer- NW coast displays a protected sand ous artifacts and large pieces of shellfish (especially Lambis ( beach with excellent canoe access, sp.) were scattered over the site surface. Other surface while the remainder of the coastline is features include large mounds (3.8 to 14.3 m in diam- fronted by a fringing reef 100-300 m eter) up to 1.3 m high, surrounded by level areas 20 by wide. The island is low lying, with its high- 30 m in size. Excavation of two of these mounds re- est point (in the center of the island) only 4 m vealed dense concentrations of shellfish and bone asl. The interior of the island is covered in a variety of midden suggesting that they are prehistoric shell-midden economic trees. Emussau is not permanently inhabited dumping features, similar to those at the EKE Site on today, although it is used periodically as a camp site for Boliu Island. youth groups of the SDA church. Informants told us that prior to the arrival of the SDA mission, the island EXCAVATIONS had a permanent settlement. The EKS Site (UTM coordinates GU957283) is OB/ECTIVES located immediately inland from the protected NW coast of Emussau Island and covers an area of at least 260 m Four field tasks were completed during October 1986 N-S by 285 m E-W (74,100 m2). Although the area is with five assistants totaling 22 work days. These included: covered by a 2-3 cm lens of sterile white sand, small (1) an elevation transect from near the center of the mounds (less than 50 cm across) had been heaped in island through the site to the shoreline; (2) excavation rows for sweet potato cultivation over a 8,000 m2 area of four 1 m2 units; (3) recording the weight of rocks (Fig. 7.2). Consequently, a dark midden sediment was along a secondary baseline to determine the relation- 176 AN ACERAMIC MIDDEN ON EMUSSAU ISLAND FIGURE 7.1 Aerial view of Emussau Island. ship of suspected refuse mounds to adjacent flat areas excavation unit. As suspected, the level area was rela- of the site; and, (4) field identification of all shellfish. tively free of larger rocks while the peripheral mounds The results of these objectives are described below. contained larger material consistent with use as a dump- ing area (Fig. 7.4). METHODS All cultural material was field sorted into five classes: shell, bone, obsidian, charcoal, and artifacts. Bone and Beginning near the center of Emussau Island at an el- obsidian were weighed and counted and retained, while evation of 4 m asl, a 400 m long transect was taken shellfish were tabulated by count (NISP), weighed, and through the archaeological site to the shore (Fig. 7.3). discarded. Voucher specimens of all identified shellfish This was accomplished by determining elevations with taxa, alongwith artifacts andcharcoal, were retained. a Leitz hand level, stadia rod, 50 m tape, and compass. Concentrations of shellfish and artifacts were noted as STRA TIGRAPHY well as surface sediment type (sand, coral rubble, etc.), and plants were identified by local name and uses. As suspected from observing discard behavior at mod- Excavation of four 1 m2 units followed basic pro- ern villages on Eloaua, the stratigraphy revealed from cedures described elsewhere in this volume. Two units units excavated on mounds was quite different from were excavated into suspected refuse mounds, while that in the flat areas. The discrete mounds found around two additional units were placed on adjacent, flat habi- flat areas were formed from dumping shellfish, bone, tation areas. Natural stratigraphy was followed by exca- and other food remains, and the cultural layers were vating with trowel 20 cm arbitrary levels within strata. well defined with dense concentrations of midden. The All excavated sediment was sieved through 5 mm (Unit adjacent flat areas, however, contained minor amounts 2) or 7 mm mesh (Units 1, 3, and 4), either dry-screened of midden and only a weakly developed cultural layer. (Unit 1) or, in the case of Units 2-4 with "greasy" black The details of these contrasting stratigraphies are pre- cultural deposits, wet-screened. A total of 4.9 m3 was sented below, and in Figures 7.5 and 7.6. processed from the excavations. A 55 m long elevation transect was taken through a STRATIGRAPHY OF UNIT 2, E PROFILE, MOUND level area and adjacent mounds to quantify the surface material along a 1 m wide transect. All material greater LAYER I: Sterile, white (1OYR 8/1), loose sand that than 5 cm in maximum diameter was weighed for each covers gardening area; 1-3 cm thick. AN ACERAMIC MIDDEN ON EMUSSAU ISLAND 177 FIGURE 7.2 t_ View of the EKS Site at the time of excavation, showing the numerous small mounds for sweet potato cultivation. Unit 3 in the foreground. LAYER IA: Cultural, black (7.5YR 2/0), sandy loam, share sediment characteristics described for few coral pebbles; structureless; noncoherent Layer lIIA. (dry), slightly sticky (wet); slightly plastic; dense LAYER IIIB: Sterile, very pale brown (1OYR 8/3) roots in upper 15-20 cm; gradual, clear bound- sandy gravel with compact coral pebbles. ary. LAYER IV: Sterile, very pale brown (1OYR 8/3) sand. LAYER JIB: Cultural, black (7.5YR 2/0), "greasy", LAYER V: Sterile, very pale brown (1OYR 8/3) sandy loam; dense, large shellfish (many Lambis gravely sand with coral pebbles. sp.) made excavation difficult with trowel; struc- LAYER VI: Sterile, very pale brown (1OYR 8/3) tureless; noncoherent (dry), slightly sticky (wet); sand. slightly plastic; more compact than Layer IIA; LAYER VII: Sterile, very pale brown (1OYR 8/3) gradual, clear boundary. gravely sand with coral pebbles. LAYER IIC: Cultural, very dark gray (7.5YR 3/0) LAYER VIII: Sterile, very pale brown (1OYR 8/3) probably from leaching of upper layer into rela- compact sand. Water table at 196 cm. tively sterile deposit; less shellfish, more coral pebbles; structureless; noncoherent (dry), non- STRATIGRAPHY OF UNIT 4, E PROFILE, OFF MOUND sticky (wet), compact; gradual, wavy bound- ary. Radiocarbon sample Beta-20455 was taken LAYER IA: Modern gardening zone, dark gray from this layer at 80-100 cm bs. (1OYR 4/1) sandy loam, very few coral pebbles, LAYER mA: Sterile, gray (1OYR 5/1) sand, with few loose consistency, non-plastic, non-sticky, few coral pebbles; structureless; noncoherent (dry), roots, rootlets common, sharp, wavy bound- non-sticky (wet); nonplastic; abrupt, sharp ary. Low quantities of shellfish. boundary. Layers III tO VIII represent beach- LAYER IB: Transition to sterile subsoil, light brown- building events which are analogous to deposi- ish gray (10YR 6/2) sand, very little coral, loose tional features found on the shoreline. T hey all consistency, non-plastic, non-sticky, few roots, 178 AN ACERAMIC MIDDEN ON EMUSSAU ISLAND Elevation (m asl) 5- 4- 3- 2- 0- 0 100 200 300 400 Distance from beach (m) FIGURE 7.3 Elevation transect across the EKS Site. 100 grams Elevation 20- 160 -140 15- 120 10- - 8 5- - ~I40 I IIII '-- / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- 20 0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 Collection units - - - - Weight of rock Elevation FIGURE 7.4 Weight of rock greater than 5 cm through a level area with adjacent mounds, EKS Site. rootlets common, gradual, wavy boundary. FEATURES LAYER II: Sterile subsoil, very pale brown (1OYR 8/2) sand, very little coral, loose consistency, No subsurface features such as hearths, pitS, or post molds non-plastic, non-sticky, few roots, rootlets corn- were encountered. One human adult burial was found mon, gradual boundary. already exposed in a well located near the S extent of AN ACERAMIC MIDDEN ON EMUSSAU ISLAND 179 Unit 2 DATING A single radiocarbon age determination was obtained for 41.8 g of wood charcoal found dispersed through- out Unit 2, Level 5, and yielded a conventional age of 350 + 60 BP (Beta-20455; cal AD 1445-1640). 50cm IIB CUL TURAL CONTENT 9 ~~~~~~~Mostly shell artifacts were recovered from both surface and subsurface contexts and are briefly described here 1 oc under shell taxon. Three A nadara valves have irregular IIIA but quite pronounced wear along their margins, indi- IIIB cating that they were used for rough scraping tasks. The lip of a Cassis shell had been ground into a chisel, mea- IV I suring 133.2 mm long. Two large Cypraea shell dorsa L 1 50 were each flaked into oblong shapes, presumably to be v 150 ground and used for vegetable scrapers. A marginal piece of Pinctada-shell valve may have been used for cutting VI purposes. Vi. Shell adzes are well represented in the EKS assem- Vill blage. Manufacture and use of Terebra-shell adzes is in- dicated by 21 specimens. Unfinished Terebra-shell adzes include nearly whole shells with the whorl removed by FIGURE 7.5 Profile of excavation Unit 2, flaking, to more refined specimens that had been flaked into a plano-convex cross-section. The five finished speci- mens have a mean length of 86.0 mm. Only the whorl end was shaped into the cutting edge. Tridacna-shell adzes Unit 4 made of both Tridacna gigas and T. maxima are also represented. The butt section of one T. gigas adz is slightly 10 pointed, and is plano-convex in cross-section (49.7 mm __ - 20 wide and 21.2 mm thick). A large flute section of Tridacna 30 (81.8 mm wide), and an umbo section, both have bat- |1_ ~ 7 < |40 tering along several edges suggesting use as ___--__ 50 hammerstones. Two possible adz blanks are made of - 60 T maxima, while a third preform from the valve mar- gin measures 87.7 mm long, 40.8 mm wide (at midsec- 7-0 tion), and 8.7 mm thick. As is typical of late prehistoric or protohistoric sites in Mussau, Trochus niloticus shell rings and manufacture FIGURE 7.6 Profile of excavation Unit 4, detritus were common at EKS. Most of these were E wall, Site EKS. unfinished ring fragments from 54.2 mm long to half- rings with an exterior diameter of 83.7 mm. These un- finished rings exhibit flaking and partial grinding along the site. Bones were not collected, but assumed to be the interior margins. The largest individual shell mea- an adult based on size. Orientation could not be ascer- sured 110.4 mm at the base. It is significant that no tamned. Two Trochus arm rings were present on the up- "chunky" basal whorl fragments (typical of fishhook per arm. and trolling lure manufacture debris in Lapita contexts 180 AN ACERAMIC MIDDEN ON EMUSSAU ISLAND such as ECA and EKQ) were recovered at EKS, sug- of the sites excavated in Mussau, suggesting that this gesting that the Trochus shells were being used exclu- feature was clearly a midden dump. Gastropods ac- sively for armbands. The mean width of nine whole counted for 48% of total weight and included predomi- and fragmentary finished (i.e., fully ground) shell rings is nantlywhole or large pieces of Strombus maculatus, Lambis 5.5 mm. Two whole rings have maximum diameters lambis, and Trochidae. Fifty-two percent by weight were of 57.0 and 61.7 mm. bivalves, mostlyAnadara sp., Chama sp., and Tridacna Non-shell artifacts from EKS included: anAcropora maxima. In striking contrast with the earlier Lapita ce- branch-coral abrader (133.3 mm long, 22.5 mm diam- ramic sites, pig bone (Sus scrofa) was abundant. A wide eter); a plano-convex Porites coral block abrader (82.6 x range of inshore fish species were also present in the 38.8 x 16.3 mm); a slate-pencil sea urchin (Heterocentrotus bone midden. sp.) with wear facets on its distal end; a volcanic stone fragment with a flat worn surface (64.1 x 29.3 x 10.3 SUMMARY mm); a pumice nodule (39.0 mm maximum length) with a flat worn surface; a large pumice cobble (165 mm EKS is a late prehistoric midden site typified by an ab- diameter) with sharpening grooves; a dense beachrock sence of ceramics, low quantities of obsidian, Trochus cobble with pecked holes, possibly finger grips; a basalt niloticus shell rings, both Tridacna-shell and Terebra-shell (?) adz front section, elliptical in cross-section (48.2 mm adzes, and abundant pig bone. Unlike Lapita-age sites, wide and 28.8 mm thick) with battering, ax-like wear this aceramic site is located close to and parallel to the along the cutting edge; and nine small obsidian flakes. modern shoreline and discrete dumping mounds are Some 83.51 kg of mollusks were recovered from oftentimes found surrounding level habitation areas, the four excavation units. One mound unit contained much like the modern villages found throughout the 55.55 kg from 1 m3, a particularly high density for any Mussau group.