From Polished Stone Tools to Population Dynamics: Ethnographic Archives as Insights

Abstract

Hafted stone tools fell into disuse in the Pacific region in the 19th and 20th centuries. Before this occurred, examples of tools were collected by early travelers, explorers and tourists. These objects, which now reside in ethnographic collections around the world, make up a remarkable record of vanished traditions. In this chapter I assemble the most extensive survey of these tools to date. I discuss their distributions and how these relate to lifeways and cultural histories. In highland New Guinea I propose that hafted stone tool forms trace three waves of agricultural innovation. I also show how convergent evolution has shaped similar tool types in the Asia Pacific region and the European Neolithic. Lastly, I consider the question of how aspects of material culture and language in the region correlate with each other.