24(7-02) Living on the spit: Maritime adaptation of the Lapita peoples

The Lapita peoples were the first settlers of Remote Oceania and the ancestors of Polynesian. Regarding their economy and subsistence, the aspect of horticulturalist has been stressed in the previous studies; however, recent studies such as analyses of faunal remains from midden site and stable-isotope analyses of human skeletal remains indicated rather their dependence on marine resources, while recent floral analyses of starch residue, pollen, and phytolith demonstrated the evidence of horticultural root crops such as tam and yam. Geoarchaeological study on two Lapita sites in Fiji indicated that the Lapita settlements located on former sand spit in a lagoon environment, and arable land were limited in the vicinity of the settlements. This geographical setting reflects the importance of accessibility to the sea, not only for fishing but also for voyaging on canoes.