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The South Pacific Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences The South Pacific Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Society
Research and review papers in the area of science, engineering and mathematics
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Human occupations of caves of the Rove peninsula, southwest Viti Levu island, Fiji

P D Nunn, C Pene, S Matararaba, R Kumar, P Singh, I Dredregasa, M Gwilliam, T Heorake, L Kuilanisautabu, E Nakoro, L Narayan, M R Pastorizo, S Robinson, P Saunivalu and F Tamani

The South Pacific Journal of Natural Science 23(1) 16 - 21
Published: 2005

Abstract

Geoarchaeological investigations of limestone caves along the Rove Peninsula, where several Lapita-era (1150-750 BC) sites dating from the earliest period of Fiji’s human history have been found, was undertaken by a team from the University of the South Pacific and the Fiji Museum. Surface collection and excavation in the largest cave – Qaranibourewa – was hindered by large amounts of ceiling collapse and no trace of human occupation earlier than about AD 1000 was found. The second-largest cave – Qaramatatolu – had a cave fill 190 cm thick but this was determined to be all of recent origin, having accumulated as a result of being washed down through a hole in the cave roof from a settlement above that probably existed AD 750-1250. The shell faunal remains from the Qaramatatolu excavation all suggest an open-coast location, quite different from the mangrove forest that fronts the area today. This mangrove forest probably formed only within the last few hundred years.

https://doi.org/10.1071/SP05003

© The University of the South Pacific 2005

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