Abstract
Images indented into living kopi (Corynocarpus laevigatus) trees by Polynesian Moriori of the Chatham Islands are a novel, indigenous Oceanic carving expression. Currently the absolute chronology of the kopi tree carving (rakau momori) tradition is poorly resolved. In a recent Rekohu (Chatham Island) investigation, two isolated shell midden sites were recorded and excavated in the vicinity of rakau momori clusters. A cultural landscape assessment provides reasonable cause to identify each carved tree cluster and midden association as discrete social space. Radiocarbon dates on paired marine shellfish samples of different taxa from the Kaingaroa Station Covenant midden and on paired marine and terrestrial kopi seed samples from the Taia Bush Historic Reserve midden are reported. At the least these dates identify probable, pre- 19th century Moriori use of kopi forest. On site context grounds we suggest that these dates may represent a terminus ante quem for the tree carving tradition as well.
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