Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 2, 1 February 1988 — Kahoʻolawe's Importance Cited [ARTICLE]

Kahoʻolawe's Importance Cited

By Earl (Buddy) Neller Cultural Specialist Kaho'olawe is important in the history of Hawaiian archaeo!ogy because of the sheer magnitude of a four and one-half year U. S. Navy survey project and because of the immense contributions the findings have made to our knowledge of Hawaiian history and culture. Most of the sites found in the survey consisted of two or more features whieh included habitation structures, shrines, lithic quarries, petroglyphs, walls, mounds and midden areas. National Register forms were completed for 544 sites whieh are on file in the office of the Historic Sites Section, Department of Land and Natural Resources, 1151 Punchbowl St., Honolulu. The entire 45-square mile land surface was surveyed. As eaeh site was found, its loeahon was plotted on aerial photographs, descriptive data was noted, photographs were taken and a scale map was drawn. A total of 1,120 samples of basaltic glass, collected from 655 distinct archaeological features, were dated by the hyration rind analysis technique. Five charcoal samples were dated using radiocarbon dating techniques. Eight test pits were excavated to determine the depth and contents of cultural layers and to get an indication of the history and function of selected features. There were 37 trips to the island, ranging in

duration from five to 11 days. The trips were made during periods when live ordnance training was not taking plaee. Following the survey, locations of the 544 sites were printed on a special photo-mosaic aerial map of the island, entitled "Kaho'olawe Training Area." A final report summarizing the operational aspects of the survey has also been prepared. It is entitled "Kaho'olawe — Final Report of the Archaeological Survey," by Robert J. Hommon. Other aspects of the survey have also been prepared. The island has exceptional value in illustrating and representing our ancient Hawaiian heritage and should be designated a National Historic Landmark. It is currently on the National Register of Historic Places, having been placed there March 1981.