The Archaeology of Nihoa/Necker Islands

Bishop Museum Podcasts

It has been 90 years since Dr. Kenneth Emory of the Bishop Museum did his ground breaking early work on understanding the mysterious ruins located on the islands of Nihoa and Necker, remotely located to the northwest of the ‘main’ Hawaiian Islands. This presentation will cover the outcomes of a recent ten year dissertation research project (2002-2012) that sought to further understand the archaeology of these two islands and the context these settlements played in traditional Hawaiian society. It focuses on a period of the late expansion phase (A.D. 1400-1650), when formidable changes were underway in ritual and social organization that ultimately led to the emergence of Hawai‘i as a powerful complex chiefdom. This research demonstrates that over a four hundred year period these remote islands became the central focus of chiefly elites in establishing this area as a ritual center of power.