Documenting Prehistoric Sites Along Hawaii’s Shoreline | Institute for Archaeological Studies

Hawaii is known to have cultural sites from the shoreline to the mountain peaks. These include ancient village remains, ceremonial structures, water catchment areas, petroglyphs, and fish traps. But many resources along the shoreline are not yet recorded, and this is especially true of petroglyphs and other rock features.

Many sites near the ocean provide some sort of catchment. Sometimes salt is desired, and sometimes fish or turtles are the focus. Water is often trapped in depressions for salt, or in stacked rock enclosures for marine animals.

These cultural features need to be located by GPS, and documented by photographs. Because many of these cultural resources are fragile, they need to be identified without putting them at risk. A professional archaeologist will lead this group effort, and also provide information about inland sites. Oregon Archaeological Society members, with their training and sensitivity to archaeological sites, are the perfect project volunteers for this project. The results of all shoreline documentation will be given to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and to the State Historic Preservation Office.

Shoreline resources include ceremonial sites, aquaculture ponds, and canoe access areas.

Participants will be introduced to a variety of archaeological sites, when not documenting shoreline observations. We plan to visit a partially reconstructed village, aquaculture sites with three different types of aquatic environments, ceremonial sites, and at least one historic site.

This adventure in Hawaii will occur February 16-21, 2017, and is offered through the Institute for Archaeological Studies. For travel details, please contact Deanna Levinson of World Travel, dea@wtpdx.com , or phone 971-404-0338. The estimated cost for shared hotel, rental car, and airfare is $1,825.00. Travel miles may be used to offset the cost of the flight.