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Cited by 39Pacific and Southeast Asian StudiesArchaeology and ancient environmental studiesMaritime and Coastal Archaeology

Rapid evolution of ritual architecture in central Polynesia indicated by precise 230 Th/U coral dating

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Sharp, Warren D., Kahn, Jennifer G., Polito, Christina M., Kirch, Patrick V.·2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.1005063107PMC PMC2922165
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Abstract

In Polynesia, the complex Society Islands chiefdoms constructed elaborate temples ( marae ), some of which reached monumental proportions and were associated with human sacrifice in the ‘Oro cult. We investigated the development of temples on Mo‘orea Island by 230 Th/U dating of corals used as architectural elements (facing veneers, cut-and-dressed blocks, and offerings). The three largest coastal marae (associated with the highest-ranked chiefly lineages) and 19 marae in the inland ‘Opunohu Valley containing coral architectural elements were dated. Fifteen corals from the coastal temples meet geochemical criteria for accurate 230 Th/U dating, yield reproducible ages for each marae , and have a mean uncertainty of 9 y (2σ). Of 41 corals from wetter inland sites, 12 show some diagenesis and may yield unreliable ages; however, the majority (32) of inland dates are considered accurate. We also obtained six 14 C dates on charcoal from four marae . The dates indicate that temple architecture on Mo‘orea Island developed rapidly over a period of approximately 140 y ( ca. AD 1620–1760), with the largest coastal temples constructed immediately before initial European contact (AD 1767). The result of a seriation of architectural features corresponds closely with this chronology. Acropora coral veneers were superceded by cut-and-dressed Porites coral blocks on altar platforms, followed by development of multitier stepped altar platforms and use of pecked basalt stones associated with the late ‘Oro cult. This example demonstrates that elaboration of ritual architecture in complex societies may be surprisingly rapid.

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  • The rise of monumental, ceremonial architecture within a much shorter regional chronology implies a different kind of historical development as well as likely continuity with comparable structures in western Polynesia.

    “Similarly, the rise of monumental, ceremonial architecture within a much shorter regional chronology (25) implies a different kind of historical development as well as likely continuity with comparable structures in western Polynesia (12, 26).”

    From High-precision radiocarbon dating shows recent and rapid initial human colonization of East Polynesia (2011) · cites this paper as [25]

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Authors
Sharp, W. D., Kahn, J. G., Polito, C. M., & Kirch, P. V.
Affiliations
  • Berkeley Geochronology Center (US)
  • Bernice P. Bishop Museum (US)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
Corresponding author
Kirch, Patrick V.
ORCID
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Published
2010-07-07
Volume
107
Issue
30
Pages
13234-13239
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.1005063107
PMC
PMC2922165
OpenAlex
W1994775762
Cited by
39
References
23
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
FWCI
19.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Science Foundation (0542222)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Geography, Planning and Development › Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Maritime and Coastal Archaeology
Keywords
marae, ritual architecture, chiefdoms, human sacrifice, coral dating, U-Th dating, Moorea, Society Islands, Porites coral, pre-European contact, complex societies
MeSH terms
Animals, Architecture, Ceremonial Behavior, Biological Evolution, Humans, Polynesia, Radioactive Pollutants, Thorium, Time Factors, Uranium, Anthozoa

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