Abstract

During the mid 1980's archaeological research in New Ireland revealed that people had been living there for at least 35,000 years. A recent archaeological expedition to Buang Merabak, a central New Ireland cave site, by the author has unearthed more evidence of human occupation going back into the depths of time. Archaeological research is a slow and meticulous business. All manner of material remains can give the archaeologist an insight into past human behaviour. Stone artefacts are indicative of tool manufacture, resource use and mobility. Exotic items such as volcanic glass (obsidian) can be indicative of trade and exchange across vast distances. Shell remains represent fishing technologies, shell ornament manufacture (such as mis), and the use of marine resources for food. Animal bones can tell us about diet and the use of the land.

In order to maximise the amount of information collected from a site, the archaeologist must use meticulous and usually time consuming artefact collection methods. Before the actual excavation can begin the site is drawn to scale so that the exact location of all the artefacts can be plotted. Then the portion of the cave floor selected for excavation will be marked on the plan. Once this is completed excavation can begin.

Archaeological excavation is based on the premise of superposition. This means that when sediments build-up in a location, such as a cave, the bottom layers must have been deposited before the upper layers can build-up on top of them. The premise supposes there is a direct relationship between the depth of deposit. The deeper the archaeologist digs, the older the artefacts are. Therefore, it is vital to know the precise depth from which an artefact was collected. The process of excavation is designed so that the archaeologist can record the exact depth in the ground from which each and every artefact was recovered.

During excavation, the ground is carefully dug away taking care not to break any of the artefacts. Archaeologists dig the ground in units that are five centimetres deep (called spits), so it can easily be determined from what depth in the ground each artefact was found. Once the soil is removed from the ground it contains many thousands of tiny shell, bone and stone. The soil is weighed and then sieved so the artefacts can be collected. The sieves usual have a three-millimetre mesh so that when the soil is placed on top of the sieve the artefacts stay on top and the soil falls to the ground. The artefacts are collected and placed in labelled bags indicating the exact location from which they were collected and the soil is discarded. The artefacts are then returned to the laboratory for closer inspection, analysis and interpretation.

People first entered New Ireland 35,000 years ago. It is generally accepted that they entered New Ireland from the Papua New Guinea mainland via New Britain. Recent excavations at Buang Merabak show that people first visited the cave 32,000 years ago. They were hunter-gatherers who ate both marine and land animals and used stone tools. They ate shellfish and bats while they were at the cave. The shellfish are similar to species that live on the nearby reefs today and the bats were thought to have lived in other parts of the cave.

Twenty thousand years ago the introduction into New Ireland of two things had a major impact on life. Cuscus where brought to New Ireland for the first time ever, probably from New Britain and the trade or exchange of obsidian began. Prior to the introduction of the Cuscus, the only land-based mammals on New Ireland were bats and rats. Therefore, the Cuscus would have dramatically increased the availability of land based animals for prehistoric people to eat.

Obsidian only occurred naturally at a few locations in the region including Mopir, Talasea, the Fergusson Islands, and the Admiralty Islands. It is therefore considered to be exotic to New Ireland. Obsidian was highly valued because when fractured, it could produce an extremely sharp blade-like edge that was highly sort after for the production of stone tools. Twenty thousand years ago, obsidian was brought to Buang Merabak from West New Britain, a distance of approximately 150 km across and sea. The New Ireland evidence of trade or exchange is the earliest in the world.

At present there is a lack of data representing behaviour during last global Ice age covering a period from 19,000 years ago to 15,000 years ago. People were not visiting Buang Merabak or any of the other cave sites known to archaeologists. This is an unsatisfactory state of affairs that highlights the need for on going research in New Ireland.

Eight thousand years ago the Common Pademelon was introduced to New Ireland. This further expanded the number of land based animals in the diet of New Irelanders. Also at this time, New Irelanders where eating more shellfish from beach environments in preference to those from reefs. Soon after, at approximately 10,000 years ago, we see the greatest use of Buang Merabak as a place to eat Cuscus and shellfish before the cave was finally abandoned around 6,000 years ago.

In New Ireland, agriculture was thought to have begun sometime between 6,000 and 3,2000 years ago and a whole new way of life ensured. Three thousand two hundred years ago a new wave of people, bearing a unique style of pottery, known as 'Lapita', entered the Bismarck Archipelago. The most famous of these sites is located on Babase in Anir.

New Ireland Province has a long, rich and wonderful archaeology that has only just begun to tell us about a past that surely must be the envy of every island. It serves, to remind us of the greatness of our forefathers and the richness of PNG culture.

Acknowledgements.

Thanks to Michael Boxos and Tuvu Telexas of Kanangusngus village, central New Ireland. John Aini of Fisheries Research, Kavieng; June and Drew Wright of Kavieng, Leo and Rhondie Badcock of the Kavieng Hotel, Nick Araho and Herman Mandui of the National Museum, with whom this research was affiliated, Caroline Read of Earth Sciences, Monash University , Glenn Summerhayes, Matthew Spriggs and Peter Hiscock of The Australian National University.

Printed in 2001 Paradise 145:45-47.