Archaeological models of regional occupation for culture change in and the arrival of trade goods into, the Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea have largely relied on pioneering research undertaken in the 1970s, prior to the advent of AMS radiocarbon dating and from a time when excavation methods were relatively coarse-grained. These early chronologies were based on bulk radiocarbon samples potentially incorporating materials from multiple periods of occupation, and freshwater shells `contaminated' by old carbon from regional Miocene limestones necessitating the application of correction factors of uncertain local applicability. This paper revises chronological aspects of pre-European contact history for the mid-Kikori River region of the Gulf Province. It presents a suite of 100 new AMS radiocarbon dates on individual pieces of charcoal, human teeth and a fish bone from 16 sites, in order to re-assess previous chronologies and understandings of the region's history, and to provide a new foundation for future modelling of site and regional land use. Past settlement systems in this region were guided by processes of social interaction and thus need to be interrogated through notions of social landscape in historical perspective.
Allen, J.1972: Nebira 4: an early Austronesian site in Central Papua . Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania7, 92-123.
2.
-- 1976: Fishing for wallabies: trade as a mechanism of social interaction, integration and elaboration on the central Papuan coast. In Rowlands, M. and Friedman, J., editors, The evolution of social systems. Duckworth, 419-55.
3.
-- 1977a: Sea traffic, trade and expanding horizons. In Allen, J., Golson, J. and Jones, R., editors, Sunda and Sahul: prehistoric studies in southeast Asia, Melanesia and Australia . Academic Press, 387-417.
4.
-- 1977b: Adaptations to the food quest in prehistoric Papua New Guinea. In Megaw, J.V.S., editor, Hunters, gatherers, and first farmers beyond Europe. Leicester University Press, 167-88.
5.
Allen, J. and Gosden, C., editors 1991: Report of the Lapita Homeland Project. Occasional Publication 20. Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University.
6.
Allen, J. and Macintyre, M.1990: Trading for subsistence: the case from the southern Massim . In Yen, D.E. and Mummery, J.M.J., editors, Pacific production systems: approaches to economic prehistory. Occasional Papers in Prehistory18. Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, 120-36.
7.
Allen, J. and Rye, O.S.1982: The importance of being earnest in archaeological investigations of prehistoric trade in Papua. In Dutton, T.E., editor, The Hiri in history: further aspects of long distance Motu trade in Central Papua. Pacific Research Monograph 8, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University , 99-115.
8.
Allen, J. and White, J.P.1989: The Lapita Homeland Project: some new data and an interpretation . Journal of the Polynesian Society98, 129-46.
9.
Barton, F.R.1910: Trading voyages to the Gulf of Papua. In Seligman, C.E., editor, The Melanesians of British New Guinea. Cambridge University Press, 96-120.
10.
Bevan, T.F.1890: Toil, travel and discovery in British New Guinea . Paul, Trench, Trubner.
11.
Bickler, S.H.1997: Early pottery exchange along the south coast of Papua New Guinea. Archaeology in Oceania32, 151-62.
12.
Brady, L.M.2006: Documenting and analyzing rock paintings from Torres Strait, NE Australia, with digital photography and computer image enhancement . Journal of Field Archaeology31, 363-79.
13.
Bulmer, S.1971: Prehistoric settlement patterns and pottery in the Port Moresby area. Journal of Papua New Guinea Society5, 29-91.
14.
-- 1978: Prehistoric culture change in the Port Moresby region. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Papua New Guinea .
15.
-- 1982: West of Bootless Inlet: archaeological evidence for prehistoric trade in the Port Moresby area and the origins of the hiri. In Dutton, T., editor, The Hiri in history: further aspects of long-distance Motu trade in Central Papua. Pacific Research Monograph 8. Australian National University, 117-30.
16.
Busse, M., Turner, S. and Araho, N.1993: The people of Lake Kutubu and Kikori: changing meanings of daily life. Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery.
17.
Carter, M., Barham, A.J., Veth, P., Bird, D.W., O'Connor, S. and Bliege Bird, R.2004: The Murray Islands Archaeological Project: excavations on Mer and Dauar, Eastern Torres Strait. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, Cultural Heritage Series 3, 163-82.
18.
Cawley, F.R.1925: Description of country lying between the Purari River and the Era. In Papua Annual Report for the Year 1923-24 . Government Printer, 18-19.
19.
Chalmers, J.1895: Pioneer life and work in New Guinea 1877-1894. Religious Tract Society.
20.
Chester, H.M.1878: Narrative of expedition to New Guinea. Government Printer.
21.
David, B., Fairbairn, A., Aplin, K., Murepe, L., Green, M., Stanisic, J., Weisler, M., Simala, D., Kokents, T., Dop, J. and Muke, J.2007: OJP, a terminal Pleistocene archaeological site from the Gulf Province lowlands, Papua New Guinea. Archaeology in Oceania42, 31-33.
22.
David, B., Pivoru, M., Pivoru, W., Barker, B., Weiner, J.F., Simala, D., Kokents, T., Araho, L. and Dop, J.2008: Living landscapes of the dead: archaeology of the afterworld among the Rumu of Papua New Guinea. In David, B. and Thomas, J., editors, Handbook of landscape archaeology. Left Coast Press, in press.
23.
Denham, T.P., Haberle, S.G., Lentfer, C., Fullagar, R., Field, J., Therin, M., Porch, N. and Winsborough, B.2003: Origins of agriculture at Kuk Swamp in the Highlands of New Guinea. Science301, 189-93.
24.
Dutton, T., editor 1982: The Hiri in history: further aspects of long-distance motu trade in central Papua. Pacific Research Monograph 8. Australian National University .
25.
Egloff, B.1971: Collingwood Bay and the Trobriand Islands in recent prehistory. Unpublished PhD thesis. Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University.
26.
-- 1978: The Kula before Malinowski: a changing configuration. Mankind11, 429-35.
27.
Elden, S.2001: Mapping the present: Heidegger, Foucault and the project of a spatial history. Continuum.
28.
Fairbairn, A.S., Hope, G.S. and Summerhayes, G.R.2006: Pleistocene occupation of New Guinea's highland and subalpine environments. World Archaeology38, 371-86.
29.
Flint, L.A.1923: Report on the patrol through the Samberigi valley, Mount Murray District, Delta Division. In Papua Annual Report for the Year 1921-22, Government Printer, Melbourne, Appendix 2, 141-52.
30.
Frankel, D. and Vanderwal, R.1982: Prehistoric research at Kinomere Village, Papua New Guinea, 1981: preliminary field report. Australian Archaeology14, 86-95.
31.
-- 1985: Prehistoric research in Papua New Guinea. Antiquity59, 113-15.
32.
Frankel, D., Thompson, K. and Vanderwal, R.1994: Kerema and Kinomere. In Frankel, D. and Rhoads, J.W., editors, Archaeology of a coastal exchange system: sites and ceramics of the Papuan Gulf. Research Papers in Archaeology and Natural History25, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, 1-49.
33.
Goldman, L. and Tauka, R.1998: Omati social mapping report. Unpublished report to Chevron Asiatic, Brisbane.
34.
Golson, J.1977: No room at the top: agricultural intensification in the New Guinea Highlands. In Allen, J., Golson, J. and Jones, R., editors, Sunda and Sahul: prehistoric studies in Southeast Asia, Melanesia and Australia. Academic Press, 601-38.
35.
Green, R.C.1976: Lapita sites in the Santa Cruz group. In Green, R.C. and Cresswell, M.M., editors, Southeast Solomon Islands cultural history: a preliminary survey, bulletin 11. Royal Society of New Zealand, 245-65.
36.
Haddon, A.C.1918: The Agiba cult of the Kerewo culture. Man (OS)18, 177-83.
37.
Herbert, C.L.1917: Delta Division. In Papua annual report for the year 1914-15. Government Printer, 86-89.
38.
Hurley, F.1924: Pearls and savages: adventures in the air, on land and sea in New Guinea. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
39.
Ingold, T.2000: The perception of the environment: essays on livelihood, dwelling & skill. Routledge.
40.
Irwin, G.R.1978: The development of Mailu as a specialist trading and manufacturing centre in Papuan prehistory: the causes and the implications . In Specht, J. and White, J.P., editors, Trade and exchange in Oceania and Australia . Special issue of Mankind11, 406-15.
41.
-- 1985: The emergence of Mailu. Terra Australis 10. Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University.
42.
-- 1991: Themes in the prehistory of coastal Papua and the Massim . In Pawley, A., editor, Man and a half: essays in Pacific anthropology and ethnobiology in honour of Ralph Bulmer. Polynesian Society, 503-11.
43.
Liston-Blyth, A.1929: Delta division. In Papua annual report for the year 1927-28. Government Printer, 22.
44.
MacGregor, W.M.1893: Despatch continuing the report of visit of inspection to the Western Division of the Possession. In Annual report on British New Guinea from 1st July 1891, to 30th June 1892; with appendices. Government Printer, 37-48.
45.
-- 1894a: Despatch reporting visit of inspection to the Purari River district. In Annual report on British New Guinea from 1st July 1893, to 30th June 1894; with appendices. Government Printer, 22-29.
46.
-- 1894b: British New Guinea. In Annual report on British New Guinea from 1st July 1892, to 30th June 1893; with appendices . Government Printer, xv-xxxiv.
47.
-- 1894c: Despatch reporting inspection of the Gulf of Papua from Hall Sound to Port Bevan. In Annual report on British New Guinea from 1st July 1892, to 30th June 1893; with appendices. Government Printer, 24-36.
48.
McAlpine, J.R., Keig, G. and Falls, R.1983: Climate of Papua New Guinea. CSIRO andANU Press.
49.
McNiven, I.J., David, B., Brady, L. and Brayer, J.2004: Kabadul Kula rock-art site, Dauan Island, Torres Strait . Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, Cultural Heritage Series 3, 227-55.
50.
McNiven, I.J.Dickinson, W.R., David, B., Weisler, M.I., Von Gnielinski, F., Carter, M. and Zoppi, U.2006: Mask Cave: red-slipped pottery and the Australian-Papuan settlement of Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait). Archaeology in Oceania41, 49-81.
51.
Murray, J.H.P.1914: Pacification of the Territory and native affairs generally . In Papua annual report for the year 1913-14. Government Printer, 8-14.
52.
Oram, N.1977: Environment, migration and site selection in the Port Moresby coastal area. In Winslow, J. , editor, The Melanesian environment. Australian National University, 74-99.
53.
-- 1982: Pots for sago: the hiri trading network. In Dutton, T.E., editor, The Hiri in history: further aspects of long distance motu trade in central Papua. Pacific Research Monograph 8, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, 1-33.
54.
Polach, H.1980: Appendix 10: ANU Radiocarbon Laboratory report on C-14 dates. In Rhoads, J., Through a glass darkly. Unpublished PhD thesis, Australian National University, A.68.
55.
Rhoads, J.W.1980: Through a glass darkly. Unpublished PhD thesis , Australian National University.
56.
-- 1982: Prehistoric Papuan exchange systems: the hiri and its antecedents. In Dutton, T.E., editor, The Hiri in history: further aspects of long distance motu trade in central Papua. Pacific Research Monograph 8, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, 131-51.
57.
-- 1983: Prehistoric sites from the Kikori region, Papua New Guinea . Australian Archaeology16, 96-114.
58.
-- 1994: The Popo site. In Frankel, D. and Rhoads, J.W., editors, Archaeology of a coastal exchange system: sites and ceramics of the Papuan Gulf. Research Papers in Archaeology and Natural History25, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, 53-69.
59.
Rhoads, J.W. and Mackenzie, D.E.1991: Stone axe trade in prehistoric Papua: the travels of python . Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society57, 35-49.
60.
Ryan, H.J.1914: Patrol west of the Kikori and across the head waters of the Omati, Turama, Gama, and Awarra Rivers. In Papua annual report for the year 1913-14. Government Printer, 170.
61.
Seymour Fort, G.1886: Report. British New Guinea: report on British New Guinea, from data and notes by the late Sir Peter Scratchley, Her Majesty's Special Commissioner, Government Printer, 1-27.
62.
Shutler, R.J. and Marck, J.C.1975: On the dispersal of the Austronesian horticulturalists . Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania13, 215-28.
63.
Spriggs, M.1989: The dating of the island Southeast Asian Neolithic: an attempt at chronometric hygiene and linguistic correlation. Antiquity240, 587-613.
64.
Sullivan M.E. and Sassoon, M.1987: Prehistoric occupation of Loloata Island Papua New Guinea . Australian Archaeology24, 1-9.
65.
Summerhayes, G. and Allen, J.2008: Lapita writ small. In Bedford, S., Sand, C. and Connaughton, S., editors, Oceanic explorations: Lapita and Western Pacific Settlement. Terra Australis. Pandanus Press, in press.
66.
Swadling, P.1980: Decorative features and sources of selected potsherds from archaeological sites in the Gulf and Central Provinces. Oral History8, 101-25.
67.
Vanderwal, R.L.1973: Prehistoric studies in central coastal Papua. Unpublished PhD thesis, Australian National University.
68.
-- 1978: Exchange in prehistoric coastal Papua. Mankind11, 416-28.
69.
White, J.P., Crook, K.A.W. and Buxton, B.P.1970: Kosipe: a late Pleistocene site in the Papuan highlands . Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society26, 152-70.
70.
Woodward, R.A.1920: Delta Division, 1920-1921. In Papua annual report for the year 1918-19. Government Printer, Appendix2, 61-63.
