Mortuary Contexts and Social Structure at Nan Madol, Pohnpei

Archaeological studies of mortuary practices contribute to discussions of prehistoric social structure. Relatively little work has focused on mortuary practices in Micronesia, particularly those associated with societies that built the monumental earthworks of Palau, the Latte sets in the Mariana Islands, and the monumental centers of Leluh on Kosrae and Nan Madol on Pohnpei. This study utilizes multiple lines of evidence to consider mortuary contexts and their relationship to social structure at the site of Nan Madol. The mortuary context is interpreted as reflecting ascribed status in a stratified hierarchical system consistent with traditional histories. The study provides a base line for future studies of Pohnpeian mortuary practices and adds to archaeological knowledge of complex societies in Micronesia and the Pacific.