ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION AT VINAPU (RAPA NUl)

by Helene Martinsson- WallinThe Kon-Tiki Museum Institute for Pacific Archaeology and Cultural History

A n archaeological excavation was carried out at Vinapu,Rapa Nui, from the 25 th of February to the 16th of

March, 2002. The excavations focused on issues related to thetemporal status and cultural context of early settlement on theisland. Tbis project was carried out as a continuation of mylongstanding re earch concerning early ettlement and cere­monial sites on Rapa Nui (Martin on-Wallin 1994, 1998,2000,2001, Martins on-Wallin and Wallin 1994, 1999,2000,Martinsson-Wallin and Crockford 2002.) The Vinapu re-earch is witbin the framework of my project "Cultural Iden­

tity on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) - the Longtime Perspective",which is included in a multi-disciplinary project embracingresearchers in archaeology, linguistics and ocial anthropol­ogy from The Kon-Tiki Museum Institute, The University ofOslo, and The Museum of Cultural Heritage in 0 10. TheNorwegian Re earch Coun el support the overall project, butthe excavation at Vinapu wa financed by the Kon-Tiki Mu­seum.

o 50m

•Trench 9

30

The excavation was located in ector Vinapu clo e tothe ceremonial site known a Vinapu 1 (Tabira) and Vinapu2. Dr. William Mulloy conducted archaeological investiga­tions here during Thor Heyerdahl's expedition to Rapa Nui in1955-56 (Mulloy 1961:93-180). Arne Skj01svo1d andGonzalo Figueroa also carried out excavations at Vinapu 2 in1982 (Arne Skj01svo1d, personal comm.) Results from Mul­loy's excavations indicated a conventional age of Vinapu 2 to1100±200 BP (M-710) and a calibrated 2 sigma range to AD550-1300. Tbis date is one of the few indication of culturalactivities on Rapa Nui, wbich might date prior to AD 800(Skj01sv01d 1994:113-114, Martinsson-Wallin 1994:83-84,Martinsson-Wallin and Crockford 2002: 245-254). The char­coal lens, which provided the early date of Abu Vinapu 2 de­rived from an area covered by the embankment urroundingthe plaza of tbis ahu (Figure 1).

To be able to undertake further inve tigations concern­ing the context and date of tbis charcoal lens we decided to

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Figure 1. Map of Vinapu area with excavated test trenches 1-17. (based on Mulloy's map in Heyerdahl and Ferdon 1961 fig. 128).

Rapa Nui Journal 7 Vol. 18 (1) May 2004

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resume excavations in the vicinity of Mulloy's excavation(Trench 22) (Mulloy 1961: 146). Our goal was to investigatewhether other cultural remains were to be found at the samelevel as Mulloy's charcoal lens, and if the activities were tiedto the ceremonial site or to an earlier human activity at thissite.

Figure 2. Test trench 1, sqm 2, with feature 6 (vegetational pit orpo thole) and burnt area.

During the course of two weeks we excavated 17 test-quare ranging from 1-5 square meters in size (Figure I).

Close to Mulloy's Trench 22 and at the same level as hisdated charcoal lens, we found remains of cultural activityincluding fire spots, a hearth, a possible posthole and possi­ble traces of plantation activities (Figure 2). We also foundroot impressions of large palms in nearly all test squares weexcavated, as well as many finds of carbonized and fire­damaged nutshell. These root impressions and nuts probablyderive from the large palm Paschalococos disperta (Zizka1991). This type of tree was already extinct on the island inearly historic times, but pollen analyses and finds of fossil­ized nuts have defined this tree as very similar to the largeChilean wine palm (Jubaea chilensis). Closer examinationby the German botanist Zizka (1991) led him to consider thepalm as a new specie (Pashcalicocos disperta). There arediverging ideas concerning the specified species of the ex­tinct Rapa Nui palm, and if it is an indigenous new specie(Paschalococos disperta) or if it derived from a nut/nuts ofJubaea chilensis drifting from Chile (Grau 2001:89). Radio­carbon dates of nuts vary, according to the archaeologist Mi­chel Orliac, between AD 8oo-AD 1430 and he indicates adate of a carbonised palm trunk to c. AD 930 (Grau 2001 :87­88). A DNA test of nuts might possibly solve this issue.

Two samples of carbonized nutsbell from the culturalactivity found under the embankment of Vinapu 2 have anage to 61O±40 BP (Va 19463) and 605±45 BP (Va 19464)and calibrated to a 2 sigma range of AD 1280-1410. A dateof a ample from the crematoria of the ceremonial site ofVinapu 2 had an age to 570±120BP (T-5175), which is cali­brated to a 2 sigma range of AD 1220-1530. A carbon sam­ple from the early pha e of Vinapu I has an age to 730±200

Vol. 18 (1) May 2004

BP (M-7l0) (Smith 1961:394), which is calibrated to a 2sigma range of AD 850-1650. The sample collected by Mul­loy at Vinapu 2 ugge ts an early activity, but it shows awide calibrated range (AD 550-1300). The same applie tothe date from the early phase of Vinapu 1. Compared withdated samples from our excavations it is likely that the cul­tural activity found under the embankment of Vinapu 2 dateno earlier than c. AD 1300. Thi activity appear to date ju tprior to the construction of Vinapu 2 or in connection to thebuilding pba e.

Other test trenches by us in the area give no indicationof the existence of ettlements or activities at Vinapu prior toc. AD 1300. A new examination or a re-dating of amplefrom Vinapu I would possibly provide further in ight intothis matter. The settlement at Anakena dated to AD 800-1000(Skj~lsvold 1994: 105-109) still appears to be the earlie t se­cure evidence of ettlement of Rapa Nui.

CONCLUSIONS

• The cultural activity found under the embankmentat Vinapu 2 dates within the 2 sigma range of AD1280-1410. Thi corresponds with the age of thecrematoria of ahu Vinapu 2.

• The test-excavation gave no indication of the exis­tence of settlement activitie at Vinapu prior to c.AD 1300

• Our test-excavation and Mulloy's excavation re­vealed an abundance of root impressions from theextinct large palm (Paschalococos disperta orJubaea chilensis). The Vinapu area appears to havehad a great abundance of palm trees in prehistorictimes.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

I would like to thank Con ejo the Monumentos Rapa Nui aswell as the Consejo de Monumentos Nationales in Santiagofor giving me permission to carry out the excavations. Iwould also like to thank our collaborative partners on RapaNui; Director (s) Francisco Torres at the Mu eo Padre Sebas­tian Englert and Jefe Provincial Esteban Sanchez at CONAF.I had the good fortune to work with skilled field workers Srs.Benjamin Rapu Haoa, Francisco Haoa Pakomio and VenturaTuki Hotus under the leadership of Sr. Rafael Rapu Haoa.Furthermore, I was plea ed to have a Rapanui student of ar­chaeology, Sra. Susana Nahoe, helping out both in field andin the laboratory. I would like thank all for their excellentcollaboration and work well done. Finally I would like tothank Dr. Paul Wallin for assi ting me in the field and for re­drawing and scanning map and working with photos. Mau­ruru.

REFERENCES

Grau, J. 2001. More about Jubaea chilensi on Ea tel' Island.Pacific 2000. Proceedings of the Fifth InternationalConference on Easter Island and the Pacific. C. Steven­son. G. Lee and F. J. Morin eds. :87-90. Easter IslandFoundation. Los Osos. California.

Rapa Nui Journal

HeyerdaW, T. and E. Ferdon,. 1961. Reports of the NorwegianArchaeological Expedition to Easter IsLand and the EastPacific. Vol. 1. ArcheoLogy of Easter IsLand. Monographof the School of American Re earch and the Kon-TikiMuseum no. 24. part. 1. Forum publishing. Stockholm.

Martinsson-Wallin, H. 1994. Ahu - The CeremoniaL StoneStructures of Easter IsLand. AnaLysis of Variation andInterpretation of Meanings. Aun 19. Societas Ar­chaologica Upsaliensis. Uppsala. Sweden.

Martinsson-Wallin, H. 1998 Excavations at Abu Heki'i, LaPerouse, Easter Island. Easter IsLand in Pacific Context.South Seas Symposium. Proceedings of the Fourth Inter­national Conference on Easter IsLand and East PoLynesia.C. M. Stevenson, G. Lee and F. J. Morin, ed . :171-177.Easter I land Foundation. Los 0 os, California.

Martinsson-Wallin, H. 2000. "No Stone Untumed"... a Reflec­tion on the Recycling of Worked Stones on Rapa Nui.Essays in Honour of Arne Skjl!ll voId 75 Years. The Kon­Tiki Museum Occasional Papers vol. 5. P., Wallin and H.Martinsson-Wallin, eds. :44-60. The Kon-Tiki MuseumInstitute for Pacific Archaeology and Cultural History.o 10. Norway.

Martinsson-Wallin, H. 2001. Con truction - Destruction ­Reconstruction of Monumental Architecture on RapaNui. Pacific 2000. Proceedings of the Fifth IntemationaLConference on Easter IsLand and the Pacific. C. Steven­son. G. Lee and F. J. Morin, eds. :73-77. Easter IslandFoundation. Los Oso . California.

Martinsson-Wallin H, and S Crockford. 2002. Early Settle­ment of Rapa Nui. Asian Perpectives. 40 (2) :244-278

Martin son-Wallin, H.and P. Wallin. 1994. The Settlement!Activity Area Nau Nau East at Anakena, Easter Island.Archaeological Excavation at Anakena Ea ter Island.Skjl!llsvold, A. ed.. The Kon-Tiki Museum OccasionaL Pa­pers 3:112-216 The Kon-Tiki Museum Institute for Pa­cific Archaeology and Cultural History. Oslo. Norway.

Martinsson-Wallin, H. and P. Wallin. 1999. Excavation atAnakena. The Easter Island Settlement Sequence andChange of Subsistence? Easter IsLand and East PoLyne­sian Prehistory. P. Vargas. ed. :179-186. Univer idad deChile Facultad de Arquitecxtura y Urbanismo Instituto deEstudio Isla de Pascua. Santiago. Chile.

Martinsson-Wallin, H., and P. Wallin. 2000. Abu and Settle­ment: Archaeological Excavations at 'Anakena and LaPerouse. Easter IsLand ArchaeoLogy: Research on EarlyRapanui CuLture. C. M. Stevenson, W. S. Ayres, eds. :27­43 Easter Island Foundation. Los Osos. California.

Mulloy, W. 1961. The Ceremonial Center of Vinapu. Reportsof the Norwegian ArchaeoLogicaL Expedition to EasterIsLand and the East Pacific. Vol. 1. ArcheoLogy of EasterIsLand. T. HeyerdaW, and E. Ferdon, eds. :93-180. Mono­graph of the School of American Re earch and the Kon­Tiki Museum no. 24. part. 1. Forum publi bing. Stock­holm.

Skjl!llsvold, A. 1994. Archeological Investigations at Anakena,Easter Island The Kon-Tiki Museum OccasionaL PapersA. Skjl!llsvold, ed. 3:5-111. The Kon-Tiki Museum Insti­tute for Pacific Archaeology and Cultural History. Oslo,Norway.

Smith, C. S. 1961. Radio Carbon Dates from Easter I land.Reports of the Norwegian ArchaeoLogical Expedition toEaster IsLand and the East Pacific. Vol. 1. Archeology ofEaster IsLand. T. HeyerdaW, and E. Ferdon, eds. :393­396. Monograph of the School of American Research andthe Kon-Tiki Museum no. 24. part. 1. Forum publi hing.Stockholm

Ziska, G. 1991. FLowering PLants of Easter IsLand. PalmariumHortus Francofurtensis. Frankfurt.

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Rapa Nui Joumal 9 Vol. 18 (1) May 2004