Stones of the butterfly: An archaeological investigation of Yapese stone money quarries in Palau, western Caroline Islands, Micronesia

Developing and testing models of exchange represent an important facet of Oceanic anthropology and archaeology because such models contribute to a better understanding of human interaction and social complexity. One of the most dramatic but least understood instances of long distance exchange in Oceania is the carving and transport of the huge stone money disks by Yapese, primarily in Palau, western Micronesia. These stone disks are the heaviest objects ever moved over the open ocean by Pacific Islanders. Oral traditions and ethnohistoric accounts indicate that stone money quarrying was taking place before European contact, but the nature of the contact between these islands has never been assessed critically and limited archaeological investigation has prevented an understanding of stone money manufacture and the extent of interaction.; In a multifaceted approach combining field archaeology, ethnohistory, oral traditions, and artifact analysis, I establish a diachronic model of exchange between these culturally and linguistically distinct groups of islanders. Previous works on the contact relations between Yap and Palau have predominantly relied on ethnographic (i.e., synchronic) data for explaining why the Yapese chose to carry out stone money production.; My research focuses on gathering critical archaeological data from stone money quarries in the Palauan Rock Islands to better understand long distance trade links. The results of archaeological excavations help document this sociopolitical interaction sphere using material evidence. The systematic comparison of stone money quarries and records of exchange—archaeological, historical, and oral—contributes to our understanding of past and present exchange behaviors in the Pacific Islands, as well as helps determine the significance of prehistoric and historic patterns of stone commodity production and distribution.; The research suggests that Yapese Islanders gained access to important knowledge, limestone quarries, tools, and other material goods through connections made with Palauans, Outer Islanders, and Europeans. Archaeological investigation demonstrates how the Yapese, with great effort and engineering skill, acquired and successfully transported these disks over land and sea. Analysis of the artifact assemblages and faunal remains also shed light on the habitation activities of Yapese quarry workers and site formation processes that resulted from the carving and moving of limestone. The continued interactions brought about by the stone money production are shown to have ultimately influenced the rise of sociopolitical complexity in both Yap and Palau.