{"id":6427,"date":"2016-10-01T15:09:54","date_gmt":"2016-10-01T15:09:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/elite-control-and-exchange-of-archaeological-stone-on-rapa-nui\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T00:18:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T00:18:33","slug":"elite-control-and-exchange-of-archaeological-stone-on-rapa-nui","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/en\/elite-control-and-exchange-of-archaeological-stone-on-rapa-nui\/","title":{"rendered":"Elite Control and Exchange of Archaeological Stone on Rapa Nui"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Intercambio-Prehistorico2-e1555087045841.jpg\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/513;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-large; color: #e02b20;\"><strong><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">Elite Control and Exchange of Archaeological Stone on<\/span><\/span> Rapa Nui<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"ES-TRAD\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #e09900; text-decoration: underline;\">by Dale F. Simpson Jr.\u00a0 &#8211;\u00a0 Arque\u00f3logo \/ Archaeologist<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\" style=\"color: #e09900;\"><span lang=\"ES-TRAD\">University of Queensland, School of Social Science (Archaeology); College of DuPage (Anthropology); <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\" style=\"color: #e09900;\"><span lang=\"ES-TRAD\">Manu Iri Heritage Guardians; Ka\u2019Ara Environmental Conscience.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">In the early stages of my Ph.D.<\/p>\n<p>fieldwork about Rapa Nui\u2019s ancient basalt sources, quarries, workshops and artifacts, I portrayed the prehistoric Rapanui as ancient geologists and prolific miners, who developed multiple reduction sequences to create fine-grain basalt tools and feature-stones from five areas: Pu Tokitoki, Ava o\u2019Kiri, Rano Kau, Vai Atare, and the south coast mines found between Hanga Poukura and Hanga Hahave (Moe Varua, May 2015).<\/p>\n<p>I suggested that the demarcation of fine-grain basalt quarries and sources with Make-Make petroglyphs was an attempt by chiefly and elite retainers to oversee and control important basalt sources, and conceivably limit the access and use of these important lithic (stone) quarries. Since this initial report, I have furthered my research and have arrived to some preliminary conclusions about sociopolitical interaction of the prehistoric Rapanui culture.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-large;\">M<\/span><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">y research is based on the geochemical fact that every lava flow on Rapa Nui is like a finger, with its own \u201crock D.N.A.\u201d and elemental autograph; therefore, each artifact made from a specific quarry can be identified from the flow\u2019s unique geochemical fingerprint.<\/p>\n<p>From here, we can trace the movement of material \u2013 from geological sources to archaeological sites \u2013 to identify if certain social groups were using certain stone, controlling certain quarries, and\/or extracting specific material for specific tools. With this information, we can evaluate and hopefully corroborate and\/or disprove previous interpretations of the island\u2019s prehistoric sociopolitical organization and territoriality. Geochemical results suggest: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/mapa.png\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1200\/835;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">1) Basalt resources from <i>Rano Kau and Vai Atare<\/i>were hardly, if ever used for tool manufacture. Instead, stone sources and quarries from these areas were utilized to extract\u00a0<i>keho\u00a0<\/i>(flat basaltic laminates) used for house construction in <i>Orongo<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, basalt used to make lithic tools found in the <i>Vai Atare\u00a0<\/i>region were not even sourced locally, but were provenanced to the southern coast mines.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Rano-Kao-Orongo.jpg\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1980px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1980\/972;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Makemake-in-Ava-oKiri.jpg\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1400px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1400\/1050;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/24.-Makemake-in-Ava-oKiri.jpg\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1400px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1400\/1050;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Artefactos-de-Obsidiana.jpg\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1400px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1400\/1050;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Puku-pu-and-flaking-area.jpg\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1400px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1400\/1050;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">2) There still exist basalt quarries and sources that our current study did not locate. This highlights the fact that while much of Rapa Nui\u2019s megalithic landscape is well-known and studied, there is much of the island\u2019s archaeological heritage that is still unknown, especially with regards to basalt material culture, urging further investigation and analyses.<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Inside-keho-cave-quarry-southwest-coast2.jpg\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1980px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1980\/1320;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Cantera-l\u00edtica-en-el-Poike.jpg\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1500\/1000;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">3) <i>Pu Tokitoki\u00a0<\/i>and the southern coast mines between <i>Hanga Poukura\u00a0<\/i>and <i>Hanga Hahave\u00a0<\/i>were two of the most important centers for fine-grain tool basalt on Rapa Nui. In turn, they have unique patterns of their prehistoric use. For instance, our evidence shows how mata (clan) centers such as \u2018<i>Anakena\u00a0<\/i>and <i>Tongariki\u00a0<\/i>depended on the numerous sources and quarries in the <i>Pu Tokitoki <\/i>and\u00a0<i>Ava o\u2019Kiri <\/i>regions. However, the most important <i>Miru\u00a0<\/i>clan found at <i>Hanga Rau (\u2018Anakena \u2013 Ahu Nau Nau),<\/i>also had material that was sourced to the southern coast mines. This patterns suggests that the <i>Miru\u00a0<\/i>had access to both of the best sources of fine-grain basalt on Rapa Nui. On the other hand, western and southern clans depended greatly on the southern coast mines for their basalt raw material, but with <i>Tahai <\/i>also having access to <i>Pu Tokitoki.\u00a0<\/i>These patterns illustrate movement of stone between <i>mata kainga <\/i>(clan territories) and even between <i>Ko Tu\u2019u Aro Ko Te Mati Nui <\/i>(high status northern clans) and <i>Ko Tu\u2019u Hotu Iti Ko Te Mata Iti <\/i>(low status southern clans) confederations.<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/obsidiana.png\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/764;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/basalto.png\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/596;display:block; margin:20px auto; max-width:100%; height:auto;\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><br \/><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">My preliminary conclusion is that the acquisition, use, and archaeological deposition of basalt material follows patterns of elite control; with the two best sources for basalt being used by the most ranking members of the prehistoric Rapanui culture (associated with the <i>ahu<\/i>\u2013 <i>moai <\/i>complex). This pattern of elite control over resources has been well documented on Rapa Nui for decades, especially with regard to lithics. For example, distributional studies suggest that obsidian from four quarries was differentially utilized based on glass quality and geological location. This includes how desirable materials flowed through the sociopolitical economy and were preferentially retained by elite members in the process, while those with lesser rank gained access to stone material via down-the-line exchange. Elite Rapanui (<i>ariki and tangata honui)<\/i>monitored and controlled the flow of high quality <i>Orito \/ Motu Iti <\/i>obsidian, using this superior obsidian at ahu and moai ceremonial centres along the island\u2019s coast and around elite architecture <i>(e.g. hare paenga)<\/i>. Meanwhile, lesser grade <i>Rano Kau\u00a0<\/i>obsidian (small size, friable with more inclusions) was utilized in inland areas, arguably distributed through family networks <i>(umanga),<\/i>where lesser status Rapanui lived, farmed, and worked on corporate strategies for subsistence production and coastal monumental constructions.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">A remaining question however, is which were the social, political, and economic mechanisms that facilitated this movement of basalt? Was it a form of exchange like bartering between elite, where each mata produced resources afforded in their mata\u00a0<i>kainga<\/i>? Some exchanging, for example, horticultural crops for stone, plant and animals resources for stone, and\/or people and information for stone.<\/p>\n<p>Was there a system of so-called trade between mata and even within a single <i>mata kainga<\/i>? These are questions I am still very much interested in, and future analysis and publications will assist in illustrating the sociopolitical economic complexity of the prehistoric Rapanui culture. <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextoreportajemoeVarua\"><span lang=\"ES-TRAD\">(\u201cRapa Nui Geochemical Project\u201d \u2013Twitter &amp; Facebook: @RNgeochemPHD).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research on Rapa Nui and its ancient fountains, quarries, lithic workshops and basalt artifacts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6251,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":15,"footnotes":""},"categories":[128],"tags":[160,143],"class_list":["post-6427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archeology","tag-ciencia-en-isla-de-pascua","tag-with-a-special-focus-on-the-south-pacific-subtropical-gyre"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - 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