An historical review of Polynesian stone adze studies

Author:

Cleghorn, Paul L.

Title:

An historical review of Polynesian stone adze studies

Periodical:

Journal of the Polynesian Society

Year:

1984

Volume:

93

Pages:

399-421

Subject:

Adzes Polynesia Polynesia antiquities

Summary:

As the literature about the Polynesian stone adzes contains ethnographic accounts regarding the manufacture and function of these objects, the purpose of this review was to trace the development of ideas regarding the Polynesian Adze. Since it is important for students and scholars to understand how previous scholars treated this subject, this paper is ordered chronologically and topically where possible. This was done in an effort to show a conceptual shift from seeing the adzes as curious objects, to showing how the adze were used post-culturally, then to note how the objects were eventually perceived as being the result of complex behavioral strategies, which lead to the adze being a part of a larger technological complex of aboriginal Polynesia.

Label:

Archaeology

URL:

http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_93_1984/Volume_93%2C_No._4/An_historical_review_of_Polynesian_stone_adze_studies%2C_by_P._L._Cleghorn%2C_p_399-422?action=null

Date:

1984

Collection:

Periodicals