Archaeological Studies on the Processes of the Formation of Megalithic Culture and Social Complex in Micronesia

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25300042
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Kansai Gaidai University
• Principal Investigator: KATAOKA OSAMU 関西外国語大学, 国際文化研究所, 研究員 (90269811)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石村 智 独立行政法人国立文化財機構東京文化財研究所, 無形文化遺産部, 室長 (60435906) ; 竹中 正巳 鹿児島女子短期大学, その他部局等, 教授 (70264439)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ミクロネシア / 巨石文化 / ハプト遺跡 / アガ・トンガン遺跡 / プレラッテ / ラッテストーン / ナンマトル遺跡 / 世界文化遺産

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The Micronesia region is an area where megalithic culture was prosperous even from a global perspective. The research conducted in an effort to understand the processes of the formation of megalithic culture and social complex in Micronesia.
To achieve the research purpose, excavation surveys were conducted mainly at Haputo and Aga Tongan sites, two sites dated approximately the same but characteristically different environments. Latte stones at both sites were found to be dated not A.D. 1000 but A.D. 1270 and later. Furthermore, there was a discontinuation between the Pre-latte and Latte periods. The increase in numbers of Latte Phase features, temporal changes of excavated food shells, and excavated pottery and stone tools, indicate the population increases, interaction of people between varying regions, and formation of megalithic culture.

Free Research Field

考古学