Prehistoric settlement on Norfolk Island and its Oceanic context
Abstract
The likelihood of Polynesian settlement of Norfolk Island was recognized in the eighteenth century, but archaeological remains of a settlement site were only discovered in 1995. The excavation history of the Emily Bay site is summarized, its date put at about the thirteenth to fourteenth century A.D. and its East Polynesian nature, especially its contacts with the Kermadecs and New Zealand, recognized through its artefacts. The faunal remains show a dominance of fish and birds, and low diversity within each. The reasons for ending the settlement are unknown but speculated upon and several future research priorities noted.
