Far Western, Western, and Eastern Lapita: A Re-Evaluation

Abstract

Lapita assemblages from the western Pacific have been regionalized into stylistic boundaries or provinces, known as Far Western, Western, and Eastern, and it has been thought that differences between them are partly temporal (Far Western) and mainly a result of isolation after the initial colonization of the area (Western versus Eastern). This paper assesses these constructions by comparing dentate decorated Lapita pottery from assemblages in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, with assemblages further afield. It is argued here that differences between these style provinces are primarily due to temporal factors and that the terms Far Western, Western, and Eastern should be replaced by Early, Middle, and Late Lapita. KEYWORDS: Lapita, West New Britain, Melanesian archaeology, pottery.