Basalt geochemistry reveals high frequency of prehistoric tool exchange in low hierarchy Marquesas Islands (Polynesia)

A high frequency of prehistoric tool exchange was identified in the low hierarchy chiefdoms of the Marquesas Islands, challenging assumptions about exchange patterns in less hierarchical societies. Geochemical analysis of 278 stone tools from Nuku Hiva revealed the use of basalt from at least seven sources across three islands, with non-local tools comprising 43 to 94% (mean = 77%) of inter-valley distributions. This frequency rivals that observed in more hierarchical Polynesian polities. The study suggests that elites used non-local tools as political currency to reinforce status and build alliances, consistent with prestige societies elsewhere.

McAlister, A., & Allen, M. S. (2017). Basalt geochemistry reveals high frequency of prehistoric tool exchange in low hierarchy Marquesas Islands (Polynesia). Plos One, 12(12), e0188207. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0188207