Abstract

The fragmentary and generally poorly preserved remains of an approximately 3,000 year old skeleton found in association with Lapita cultural material at Natunuku, Fiji, are described. The skeleton, represented by diaphyseal fragments of the major limb bones, fragments of skull and other parts of the skeleton, isolated teeth and a partially edentulous mandible fragment, is that of an elderly (50 year old) male. The mandible is the best preserved bone in these remains. Stature is estimated to be 172 cm. The limb skeleton suggests that the individual is of moderately robust dimensions. Only minimal expressions of osteoarthritis are observed in these remains but opportunities for observations are limited. The teeth exhibit considerable wear and caries are present. The cause of death cannot be determined. There is no evidence that any of the human remains were burned or charred. Univariate comparisons of morphological details of the skeleton and associated teeth suggest Polynesian similarities such as tall stature, limb robusticity, small tooth crown diameters, and partial rocker jaw. Other aspects of skeletal morphology, limb proportions and the shapes of the leg bones, however, suggest Melanesian affinities. Multivariate analyses of mandibular measurements further suggest Melanesian affinities while similar analyses of a limited number of non-metric traits suggest Polynesian relationships. Until much larger and more representative samples of Lapita-associated skeletons become available, the biological origins of Polynesians, using the human palaeontological record from the Pacific, remains obscure.

 
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Bibliographic Data

Short Form
Pietrusewsky, 1989, Rec. Aust. Mus. 41(3): 297–325
Author
M. Pietrusewsky
Year
1989
Title
A Lapita-associated skeleton from Natunuku, Fiji
Serial Title
Records of the Australian Museum
Volume
41
Issue
3
Start Page
297
End Page
325
DOI
10.3853/j.0067-1975.41.1989.147
Language
en
Date Published
30 November 1989
Cover Date
30 November 1989
ISSN (print)
0067-1975
CODEN
RAUMAJ
Publisher
The Australian Museum
Place Published
Sydney, Australia
Subjects
ANTHROPOLOGY; ARCHAEOLOGY; NEW GUINEA; OCEAN: PACIFIC
Digitized
24 November 2008
Available Online
08 December 2008
Reference Number
147
EndNote
147.enw
Title Page
147.pdf
File size: 80kB
Complete Work
147_complete.pdf
File size: 3473kB