AN Archaeological cooperation project between the Solomon Islands National Museum and the Commission for Archaeology of Non-European Cultures of the German Archaeological Institute started in 2012 with an excavation of a flint knapping workshop site at Apunirereha at East Are’Are.

The aim of this research project is to enlighten the prehistory and understanding of human migration and initial settlement of the Solomon Islands.

The Head of the Archaeology Unit of the Solomon Islands National Museum and Co-Director of the Solomon Islands-German cooperation programme, Lawrence Kiko and the Team leader, Dr Johannes Moser, from the German Archaeological Institute, want to express that the project will not only contribute to the knowledge of the prehistory of the Solomon Islands       but will help to ‘sensibilise’ the public and local communities to their national heritage.

The selection of East Are‘Are in Malaita Province to be the first focal point for the research had come about after it was heard from a certain individual that East Are’Are has sources of lithic.

The excavation revealed a huge amount of lithic products in all stages of ancient manufacturing process.

The stone tools are widely used by natives in former time in the area and he believes that it has a local source where people can access.

Internal trade from the resource to other islands can be      possible, according to Dr Johannes.

A further archaeological excavation was also done in Ria cave in the vicinity of Apunirereha.

The site is a rock shelter that is formed by an isolated natural limestone cliff and can serve as shelter for one or two families.

The archaeological potential of the rock shelter was suspected during a survey in the region in 2011 and finally confirmed through a first test sounding in 2013.

Ria rock shelter is very interesting because it shows evidence of human existence in prehistoric times.

The excavations under the rock shelter disclosed cultural deposits and features and a large collection of knapped stone tools, shells, faunal and human remains.

 

Upon permission granted by tribal chiefs, a small amount of stone artefacts was brought to the National Museum in Honiara for stone tool use wear analysis.

A specialist from Belgium Ms Sonja Tomasso (from TraceoLab, University of Liège) is currently at the SI National Museum to analyse how the stone tools   were used.

According to Ms Sonja, the goal of a use-wear study is to understand the function of tools in cross examination with the activities on the site.

In functional studies, the life cycle of a tool, from its   manufacture through the time it was used until when it was discarded or thrown away is analysed.

During the use-wear analysis different methodologies are applied: to record the macroscopic edge damage a binocular will be used ( magnifications up to 100x) and to detect microscopic wear traces a metallurgical reflected light microscope will be used (magnifications up to 500x).

All functional interpretation is based on comparisons with experimental tools.

The result of microscopic analysis have shown that most of the tools had been used through an evidence of glassy friction appeared on the surface of the tool edge.

The isotope residue analysis to determine what the stone tools is for will be done in later period but it would be interesting to find residue that remains on the stone tools even over a thousand of years under strong microscope.

Radiocarbon determinations given on the sites are providing a Chrono-stratigraphic frame which covers a period of 1,700 years starting from 50 BC until 1600 AD.

The Head of Archaeology Unit and Museum Acting Director Lawrence Kiko is delighted that the collaboration research programme provides training to archaeology museum staff, equipping them with new skills in the area of field and laboratory analysis of archaeology materials.

He also highlighted that the stone tool analysis as far as he remembered was the first to be done locally at the museum with the museum archaeology staff to have a taste on stone tool use ware analysis.

The Government Archaeologist is also looking at the opportunity to get archaeology for an exchange programme with the partner institution for training.

The Government Archaeologist alluded that even though the carbon dating of 1,700 years is younger, it fills a historical gap of human existence on the given period.

“If we have to project, the whole human migration from first human settlement of 29,000 years from Bismarck Archipelago to 6,000 years at Poha Cave on Guadalcanal and to the current 1,700 years, there could be a possibility of reverse migrant of 2900 years from remote Oceania.

“Other Islands such as Makira/Ulawa would be an ideal place to do intensive research to confirm theories.

“Archaeologically, Malaita lies on an extreme passage of prehistory human route.”

Few evidence has surfaced on the Siale area but no archaeological research has been done to prove such oral and surface materials.

Currently, the excavation is still in progress and the team is optimistic that a deeper layer will provide   much earliest dating.

At the end of the project life in East Are’Are, the SI National Museum is proposing a special exhibition for the excavated materials to be held at the National Museum and a mini cultural centre to be built for the people to display the materials and for safe storage in the village.

The research team thanks the Malaita Provincial Government for the permission granted,   the Tribal member and Chiefs of Apunirereha and Ria sites for their cooperation during the research campaign and Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development for the research permit.

They also thank Minister Hon Bartholomew Parapolo and Permanent Secretary of the   Ministry of Culture, Tourism Mr Andrew Nihopara for their continuous support in the project and the Museum Director Mr Tony Heorake for advice.

Finally, a word of thanks goes to all the museum staff and people of Maniaha and Makaura Village.

By Lawrence Kiko

Archaeologist/Supervising Officer

Solomon Islands National Museum Division