Fergusson Island Obsidian from the D'Entrecasteaux Group in a Lapita Site of the Reef Santa Cruz Group

Abstract

The use of a number of the known Pacific island obsidian sources by people assigned to the Lapila cultural complex is well established. Until now, however, such use of known sources in the D'Entrecasteaux Island Group off the northeastern Papua New Guinea coast has not been documented. This paper seeks to show that obsidian from one of the more accessible sources on Fergusson Island, Kulruia. may occasionally appear in sites of the Lapita cultural complex. It sets out the reasons for believing that one flake from a Lapila site in the Reef Islands of the Santa Cruz Group is from this source and explores some of the implications.