Faunal Extinction and Human Habitation in New Caledonia: Initial Results and Implications of New Research at the Pindai Caves

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dc.contributor.authorAnderson, Atholl
dc.contributor.authorSand, Christophe
dc.contributor.authorPetchey, Fiona
dc.contributor.authorWorthy, Trevor H
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-10T22:20:27Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.date.updated2020-12-13T07:23:48Z
dc.description.abstractArchaeological and palaeontological investigations occurred in 2003 at the Pindai Caves in New Caledonia, where remains of prehistoric settlement exist in conjunction with the richest fossil deposits found to date on Grand Terre. Among more than 45 bird taxa in our excavations at least 20 that are locally or globally extinct are represented at levels immediately below or within the era of human occupation. These include the giant megapode, Sylviornis sp., the flight-less swamphen, Porphyrio kukuwiedei, and other rails, a kagu, pigeons, a large snipe, Coenocorypha sp., several taxa of owls, a nightjar, and an owlet-nightjar. Unresolved problems in dating and taphonomy, however, make it difficult to specify the strength of cultural associations and thus the extent to which human activities were responsible for extinc- tions or extirpations. We present the first radiocarbon dates upon Sylviornis bone, showing that, at least, the species survived into the late Holocene. Relatively frequent occurrence of Sylviornis bone in the cultural levels, coupled with a radiocarbon date on a bone sample of about 3000 calBP make a case for human contact
dc.identifier.issn1179-4704
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/51927
dc.publisherNew Zealand Archaeological Association
dc.sourceJournal of Pacific Archaeology
dc.source.urihttp://www.pacificarchaeology.org/index.php/journal/article/view/12/8
dc.titleFaunal Extinction and Human Habitation in New Caledonia: Initial Results and Implications of New Research at the Pindai Caves
dc.typeJournal article
local.bibliographicCitation.issue1
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage109
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage89
local.contributor.affiliationAnderson, Atholl, College of Asia and the Pacific, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationSand, Christophe, New Caledonia Museum
local.contributor.affiliationPetchey, Fiona, University of Waikato
local.contributor.affiliationWorthy, Trevor, University of Adelaide
local.contributor.authoremailu9309509@anu.edu.au
local.contributor.authoruidAnderson, Atholl, u9309509
local.description.embargo2037-12-31
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.absfor210106 - Archaeology of New Guinea and Pacific Islands (excl. New Zealand)
local.identifier.absseo970121 - Expanding Knowledge in History and Archaeology
local.identifier.ariespublicationu4029967xPUB235
local.identifier.citationvolume1
local.identifier.uidSubmittedByu4029967
local.type.statusPublished Version

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