The sacred stone from the sea. Archaeological and ethnographic perspectives on the ritual value of coral across the Pacific

IF 1.1 3区 历史学 Q2 ANTHROPOLOGY
Guillaume Molle, Jean-Marie Wadrawane, Louis Lagarde, Duncan Wright
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引用次数: 2

Abstract

The Pacific Islands offer a variety of marine environments providing peoples in the present and past with abundant coral materials, a “stone from the sea”. Archaeologists have long recognised the importance of coral in ancient contexts, whether as gravel, natural branches, squared blocks or cut-and-dress slabs. Coral was also used to manufacture tools such as files or pounders and incorporated in monumental ceremonial architecture as a favoured construction material and foundation offerings. However, Pacific Islanders also employed coral material for other ritual applications that remain overlooked in the literature. In this article, we consider the multiple uses of coral in the archaeological and ethnographic records of three Pacific regions: Central-East Polynesia (CEP), New Caledonia and the Torres Strait Islands. This includes offering of coral branches, sometimes associated with cairns, paraphernalia and magic stones, also production of coral lime for body ornamentation. Using these case studies, we consider material selection, modes of deposition, archaeological and ethnographic contexts, associations with other features and artefacts, before interrogating the potential significance of these unrealised datasets. By doing so, we shed new light on the ritual value of coral and reflect on the symbolic nature and function of this material.

Abstract Image

来自大海的圣石。从考古学和人种学的角度看太平洋珊瑚的仪式价值
太平洋岛屿提供了多种海洋环境,为现在和过去的人们提供了丰富的珊瑚材料,这是一种“来自海洋的石头”。考古学家很早就认识到珊瑚在古代环境中的重要性,无论是砾石、天然树枝、方块还是裁剪后的石板。珊瑚也被用来制造工具,如锉刀或锤子,并作为一种受欢迎的建筑材料和基础产品被纳入纪念性仪式建筑中。然而,太平洋岛民也将珊瑚材料用于其他在文献中被忽视的仪式应用。在这篇文章中,我们考虑了珊瑚在三个太平洋地区的考古和民族志记录中的多种用途:中东部波利尼西亚(CEP),新喀里多尼亚和托雷斯海峡群岛。这包括提供珊瑚枝,有时与cairns,用具和魔法石有关,也生产用于身体装饰的珊瑚石灰。通过这些案例研究,我们考虑了材料选择、沉积模式、考古和民族志背景、与其他特征和人工制品的联系,然后询问这些未实现的数据集的潜在意义。通过这样做,我们揭示了珊瑚的仪式价值,并反思了这种材料的象征性性质和功能。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
1.80
自引率
0.00%
发文量
24
期刊介绍: Archaeology in Oceania is published online and in print versions three times a year: April, July, October. It accepts articles and research reports in prehistoric and historical archaeology, modern material culture and human biology of ancient and modern human populations. Its primary geographic focus is Australia, the islands of the Pacific Ocean and lands of the western Pacific rim. All articles and research reports accepted as being within the remit of the journal and of appropriate standard will be reviewed by two scholars; authors will be informed of these comments though not necessarily of the reviewer’s names.
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