Archaeology: What's Hot Now: Kuk Swamp (New Guinea)

Archaeology: What's Hot Now These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week Kuk Swamp (New Guinea) 8 Jul 2011, 11:01 am Kuk Swamp is the collective name of several archaeological sites in the upper Wahgi Valley of the New Guinea highlands. Identified sites at Kuk Swamp include the Manton site, where the first ditch system was identified in 1966; the Kindeng site; and the Kuk site, where the most extensive excavations have been concentrated. Scholarly research refers to Kuk or the Kuk Swamp, in referring to the complex of evidence for early agriculture. Agriculture at Kuk Swamp Kuk Swamp, as its name implies, is located on a wetland margin, and its importance for understanding the development of agriculture in the region cannot be overstated. The earliest occupations at Kuk Swamp are dated to ~10,220-9910 cal BP, although whether these levels represent true agriculture is as yet controversial. Unequivocal evidence for the planting and tending of crops including banana, taro and yam is dated to 6590-6440 cal BP (ca 5000-4490 BC), and includes the deliberate construction of mounded cultivation hills on the wetland margin. An extensive network of ditches constructed for drainage and cultivation is in evidence in the Wahgi Valley as well, dated beginning ca 6000 BP and continuing up until AD 100. The ditches represent a long series of wetland reclamation and abandonment, where Kuk's residents struggled with developing a reliable agricultural method. Crops at Kuk Swamp Identification of the crops being cultivated at Kuk Swamp was accomplished by examining plant residues on stone tools and within sediments at the site. Stone cutting tools (flaked scrapers) and grinding stones (mortars and pestles) recovered from Kuk Swamp were examined by researchers, and starch grains and opal phytoliths of taro (Colocasia esculenta), yams (Dioscorea spp), and banana (Musa spp) were identified. Other phytoliths of grasses, palms and possibly gingers were also identified. Read more about: Starch Grain analysis Opal phytolith analysis Domestication of bananas The archaeological deposits at Kuk Swamp were discovered in 1966. Excavations began that year, led by Jack Golson, who discovered the extensive drainage systems. Additional excavations at Kuk Swamp have been led by Golson and other members of the Australian National University. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the guide to Plant Domestication, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Ballard C. 2003. Writing (pre)history: Narrative and archaeological explanation in the New Guinea Highlands. Archaeology in Oceania 38:135-148. Denham T, Fullagar R, and Head L. 2009. Plant exploitation on Sahul: From colonisation to the emergence of regional specialisation during the Holocene. Quaternary International 202(1-2):29-40. Denham TP, Harberle SG, 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. Science 301(5630):189-193. Fullagar R, Field J, Denham T, and Lentfer C. 2006. Early and mid Holocene tool-use and processing of taro (Colocasia esculenta), yam (Dioscorea sp.) and other plants at Kuk Swamp in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Journal of Archaeological Science 33(5):595-614. Lejju BJ, Robertshaw P, and Taylor D. 2006. Africa's earliest bananas? Journal of Archaeological Science 33(1):102-113. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.