An exploratory survey method for archaeoastronomy, applied to standing stones at the hauviri and taputapuātea maraes, Ra'iātea

A systematic survey method for archaeoastronomical research, applied to standing stones at the Hauviri and Taputapuātea maraes in Ra’iātea, has identified a potential alignment with significant navigational stars during the Matariki season around AD1250. This finding suggests that the stones may serve as an analogue 'star compass,' guiding voyages or commemorating important celestial events. The method, designed for rapid, low-cost data collection, provides accurate azimuth comparisons and rich positional data, enabling further in-depth analysis. While the study confirms one specific scenario deserving deeper investigation, it also establishes a benchmark dataset for future research on Polynesian archaeoastronomy.

Goodwin, D. (2018). An exploratory survey method for archaeoastronomy, applied to standing stones at the hauviri and taputapuātea maraes, Ra’iātea. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 18, 109–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2018.01.009