Sensory Exploitation, Monumentality, and Social Stratification: A Multisensory Survey of Puʻukoholā Heiau, Hawaiʻi

Summary

Monumental architecture is often theorized as a costly signal in prehistoric complex societies, including Oceania in general and Hawaiʻi in specific. In this paper I explore sensory exploitation theory, which suggests that the costliness of monumentality may have contributed to social stratification and the multifaceted function of religion through specific sensory sensitivities. Puʻukoholā heiau, a large temple on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi with notable archaeological, historic, and contemporary circumstances, is presented as a case study for a multisensory investigation of how the senses, monumentality, and social stratification may be more intertwined than previously described.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage