Patterns in Polynesia

January 03, 2022
Photo of Ta’ū Island, the largest island in the Manuʻa Group, American Samoa, by the National Park Service.

Settling the steep volcanic slopes of islands in the South Pacific required both cultural and environmental considerations. Prof. Kyungsoo Yoo was part of a team that examined patterns within archeological settlements on Ta’ū Island, American Sāmoa. They found that both slope and soil fertility were key environmental factors in the development of settlements. Read the recent publication in the Journal of Field Archaeology