Clues from the Past... The Archaeology of Lapakahi

Clues from the Past... The Archaeology of Lapakahi. . Archaeologists seek to understand people and places of the past by studying the sites and cultural remains left behind. Students from the University of Hawai'i conducted extensive excavations here between 1968 and 1970 to learn about the people of Lapakahi. , Archaeological surveys and excavations took place in the coastal settlements and upland agricultural fields. This research found that people lived here from 600 years ago to the early 1900s and were well-adapted to the dry, leeward environment of North Kohala. , Mapping the site... , After removing many of the kiawe trees, the walls, enclosures, platforms and pavings were mapped. A concentration of archaeological sites was found along the shoreline in the Koai'e and Lapakahi ahupua'a. This complex of sites is referred to as Koai'e. , Digging Square Holes... , An extensive grid of one meter by on meter squares was laid out over the sites of Koai'e. These squares were excavated using trowels and brushes to expose buried fiercest, house floors, and walls. , Uncovering the Past... , By carefully digging through layers of soil containing items left behind, archaeologists gather information about the people who lived here. The location of artifacts and features, such as firepits, is important for understanding the function and age of the site. , Screening for Meaning... , Artifacts and tools are clues about how people adapted to this coastal environment and how long they lived here. Many objects food at Koai'e related to fishing and food preparation. Before Western contact (1778), the artifacts were made of bone, stone, shell, and wood. After contact, metal fishhooks eventually replaced bone ones while glass bottles and ceramic dishes replaced gourds and wooden bowls. , Clues Hidden in the Midden... , Left behind in the midden (garbage) of Koai'e are marine shells and fish bones reflecting many meals gathered from the ocean. The diet also included pig, dog, chicken, and food grown in the upland fields, such as 'uala (sweet potato), kale (taro), mai'a (banana), and kō (sugarcane). While mammal bones are found in the middens, plants do not preserve well. However, food preparation tools are found by the archaeologists, such as the stone pounders used to mash kale and make poi.