Exploring the Interpretative Roles of Microarchaeology, Ethnohistory and Ethnoarchaeology for Structuring Daily Life in Pre-contact Hawaiian Houses

Summary

Ethnoarchaeology provides a useful tool for understanding material patterns in the archaeological record. However, caution must be exercised in the application of this method to avoid projecting data onto times and places that are no longer represented by contemporary practices. In this paper, the authors argue that ethnoarchaeology is most useful for projects that focus on the longue durée when used in conjunction with a combination of micro and macro archaeological methods. Specifically, the use of microartifacts and micromorphology in conjunction with analysis of excavated artifacts allow one to piece together site formation processes and material patterns that relate to specific activities. A case study utilizing Hawaiian house sites exemplifies this approach. The case study presented here analyzes data from 16th century house complexes, a time when daily practices were developing in ways not reflected in the (later) ethnohistories. However, this paper illustrates that utilizing complimentary micro and macro artifact analytical methods allows for a reconstruction of daily practices by comparing the data with the ethnohistorically-derived predictive models. The model for integration of ethnohistory is followed by a model for ethnoarchaeological work in Hawai‘i that will further elucidate how repeated daily activities leave traces on the built landscape.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21600