Culturally modified human remains recovered from an earth‐oven interment on Waya Island, Fiji
Open accessAbstract
The incomplete skeletal remains of a young adolescent (10–12 years of age) were recovered from the uppermost layer of an earth‐oven at the Qaranicagi Site (Y2‐39), Waya Island, Fiji. Analysis of the remains revealed minimal fire or heat alteration. Cut marks are distributed across several elements and suggest at least partial butchering of the individual.
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Further human remains were uncovered in midden deposits from TU 1 and TU 3 at Qaranicagi.
“Further human remains were uncovered in midden deposits from the two test units TU 1 and TU 3.”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Cochrane et al., 2004
The paper reports human bone fragments in test unit 1, consistent with the claim about further remains at Qaranicagi. It also reports human remains in test unit 3, but places those remains in an earth-oven feature, not midden deposits (passages labeled Abstract; page unavailable). The Discussion distinguishes the earth-oven remains from the site's human midden remains. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAn earth-oven feature containing human remains was uncovered in TU 3 at Qaranicagi cave (Y2-39) on Waya Island.
“An earth-oven feature containing human remains was uncovered in TU 3.”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as Cochrane et al., 2004
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Cites
Pietrusewsky, M., Douglas, M. T., Cochrane, E. E., & Reinke, S. (2007) · The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology · doi:10.1080/15564890701228579 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
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Research works printed but not linked: 11
- Best, S. B. 1984 Lakeba: The Prehistory of a Fijian Island. Unpublished PhD Dissertation, University of Auckland.
- Cochrane, E. E. 2002 Explaining the Prehistory of Ceramic Technology on Waya Island, Fiji. Archaeology in Oceania 37(1):37-50. In press, Archaeological Investigations on Waya Island: the 2001 University of Hawai'i Archaeological Field School. Domodomo 16. DeGusta, D. 1999 Fijian Cannibalism: Osteological Evidence from Navatu. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 1l0:215-241. Archaeol. Oceania 39 (2004) 59-60
- Somers St, Lawson NSW 2783. 2000 Fijian Cannibalism and Mortuary Ritual: Bioarchaeo- logical Evidence from Vuda. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 10:76-92.
- Hunt, T. L., K. A. Aronson, E. E. Cochrane, J. S. Field, L. Humphrey and T. M. Rieth 1999 A Preliminary Report on Archaeological Research in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji. Domodomo 12(2):5-43.
- Rechtman, R. B. 1992 The Evolution of Sociopolitical Complexity in the Fiji Islands. PhD dissertation, The University of California, Los Angeles.
- Rieth, T. M. 1998 Early Evidence for Fijian Cannibalism?: Refining the Methods for Identifying Cannibalism in the Archaeological Record. Undergraduate Honors Thesis, University of Hawai'i.
- Saunders, S. R. 1992 Sudadult Skeletons and Growth Related Studies. In Skeletal Biology of Past Peoples: Research Methods, edited by S. R. Saunders and M. A. Katzenberg, pp. 1-20. Wiley-Liss, New York.
- Scheuer, L. and S. Black 2000 Developmental Juvenile Osteology. Academic Press, San Diego.
- Spennemann, D. H. R. 1987 Cannibalism in Fiji: The Analysis of Butchering Marks on Human Bones and the Historical Record. Domodomo 5(2):29-46.
- Stuiver, M., P. J. Reimer, E. Bard, W. J. Beck, G. S. Burr, K. A. Hughen, B. Kromer, G, McCormac, J. van der Plicht and M. Spurk 1998 INTCAL98 Radiocarbon Age Calibration, 24,000-0 cal BP. Radiocarbon 40(3):1041-1084.
- White, T. D. 1992 Prehistoric Cannibalism at Mancos 5MTUMR-2346. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Advances in Polynesian Prehistory: A Review and Assessment of the Past Decade (1993–2004)
Kirch, P. V., & Kahn, J. G. (2007) · Journal of Archaeological Research · doi:10.1007/s10814-007-9012-0 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Pietrusewsky, M., Douglas, M. T., Cochrane, E. E., & Reinke, S. (2007) · The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology · doi:10.1080/15564890701228579 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Self-citationBello, S. M. (2025) · Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory · doi:10.1007/s10816-024-09676-3 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“The osteological analyses of the 172 human fragments found within the earth-oven are detailed in Cochrane et al. (2004) and Pietrusewsky et al. (2007).”
- Authors
- Cochrane, E. E., Pietrusewsky, M., & Douglas, M. T.
- Affiliations
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
- 4020 Edgehill Road Fort Worth TX 76116 USA
- Venue
- Archaeology in Oceania
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2004-04
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 54-59
- ISSN
- 0003-8121 (ISSN-L)
- 0728-4896
- 1834-4453
- OpenAlex
- W2064792146
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 15.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Archaeology in Oceania/Archæology & physical anthropology in Oceania (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- ResearchSpace (University of Auckland) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Texas Christian University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Social Sciences › Geography, Planning and Development › Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Keywords
- cut marks, butchery
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