Iarisi's Domain: Historical Archaeology of a Melanesian Village, Tanna Island, Vanuatu

Archaeological data provide a critical perspective on the emergent relationships between Melanesians and Europeans during the mid-nineteenth century. Particularly important to the discussion are the native landscapes within which Europeans settled. As part of a larger exploration of early missionary settlement in southern Vanuatu, archaeologists working closely with local fieldworkers surveyed the native villages at Kwaraka and Anuikaraka, south Tanna Island. These archaeological settlements are notable for their well-preserved stone architecture, rare on Tanna, and their association with local oral traditions concerning inter-island exchange and early Melanesian engagements with Christianity. Archaeological research at Kwaraka has begun to explore the long-term settlement dynamics of these sites, as initial excavations have indicated features dating from the seventeenth through the mid-twentieth century. While direct evidence of nineteenth-century habitation was limited, preliminary results suggest European goods were rare at these sites, while also revealing information about more prominent local exchange networks that persisted through the colonial era. Archaeological approaches that span precolonial and colonial periods can challenge orthodox models for the emergence of modernity, while also providing important long-term perspectives on local historical trajectories.