Nunn, Patrick; Pene, Conway; Narayan, Laurence; Pastorizo, Ronna; Robinson, Stephanie; Saunivalu, Petero; Tamani, Faye; Matararaba, Sepeti; Kumar, Roselyn; Singh, Preetika; Dredregasa, Iliesa; Gwilliam, Marian; Heorake, Tony; Kuilanisautabu, Ledua; Nakoro, Elia

Author(s)

Nunn, Patrick

Pene, Conway

Narayan, Laurence

Pastorizo, Ronna

Robinson, Stephanie

Saunivalu, Petero

Tamani, Faye

Matararaba, Sepeti

Kumar, Roselyn

Singh, Preetika

Dredregasa, Iliesa

Gwilliam, Marian

Heorake, Tony

Kuilanisautabu, Ledua

Nakoro, Elia

Publication Date

2005

Abstract

Geoarchaeological investigations of limestone caves along the Rove Peninsula, where several Lapita-era (1150-750 BC) sites dating from the earliest period of Fiji's human history have been found, was undertaken by a team from the University of the South Pacific and the Fiji Museum. Surface collection and excavation in the largest cave – Qaranibourewa – was hindered by large amounts of ceiling collapse and no trace of human occupation earlier than about AD 1000 was found. The second-largest cave – Qaramatatolu – had a cave fill 190 cm thick but this was determined to be all of recent origin, having accumulated as a result of being washed down through a hole in the cave roof from a settlement above that probably existed AD 750-1250. The shell faunal remains from the Qaramatatolu excavation all suggest an open-coast location, quite different from the mangrove forest that fronts the area today. This mangrove forest probably formed only within the last few hundred years.

Citation

South Pacific Journal of Natural Science, 23(1), p. 16-21

ISSN

1726-0787

1013-9877

Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/8051

Publisher

CSIRO Publishing

Title

Human occupations of caves of the Rove peninsula, southwest Viti Levu island, Fiji

Type of document

Journal Article

Entity Type

Publication

Author(s)	Nunn, Patrick Pene, Conway Narayan, Laurence Pastorizo, Ronna Robinson, Stephanie Saunivalu, Petero Tamani, Faye Matararaba, Sepeti Kumar, Roselyn Singh, Preetika Dredregasa, Iliesa Gwilliam, Marian Heorake, Tony Kuilanisautabu, Ledua Nakoro, Elia
Publication Date	2005
Abstract	Geoarchaeological investigations of limestone caves along the Rove Peninsula, where several Lapita-era (1150-750 BC) sites dating from the earliest period of Fiji's human history have been found, was undertaken by a team from the University of the South Pacific and the Fiji Museum. Surface collection and excavation in the largest cave – Qaranibourewa – was hindered by large amounts of ceiling collapse and no trace of human occupation earlier than about AD 1000 was found. The second-largest cave – Qaramatatolu – had a cave fill 190 cm thick but this was determined to be all of recent origin, having accumulated as a result of being washed down through a hole in the cave roof from a settlement above that probably existed AD 750-1250. The shell faunal remains from the Qaramatatolu excavation all suggest an open-coast location, quite different from the mangrove forest that fronts the area today. This mangrove forest probably formed only within the last few hundred years.
Citation	South Pacific Journal of Natural Science, 23(1), p. 16-21
ISSN	1726-0787 1013-9877
Link	https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/8051
Publisher	CSIRO Publishing
Title	Human occupations of caves of the Rove peninsula, southwest Viti Levu island, Fiji
Type of document	Journal Article
Entity Type	Publication

Human occupations of caves of the Rove peninsula, southwest Viti Levu island, Fiji

Files: