Flake Patterns on Rapa Nui's (Easter Island) Stemmed Obsidian Tools (Mata'a): A Preliminary Analysis of Tool Use

Abstract

Abstrac Stemmed obsidian tools (mata‘a) are a ubiquitous component of the archaeological record of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), and have long figured prominently within archaeological debates on the island’s prehistory Although they are one of the most common artifacts found on the island, much uncertainty exists regarding the uses and function of these tools Most ethnohistoric and contemporary accounts have presented mata‘a as spear-heads, and modern researchers have included this as evidence for a violent history of widespread warfare on the island Recent studies, however, have shown that mata‘a are unlikely to have been designed as weapons but possibly were more general purpose cutting tools or agricultural implements In this thesis, I attempt to build on these recent studies about potential mata‘a use by documenting and statistically analyzing use-wear and flake patterns on these tools. By cataloguing the shapes, sizes, and location of the flakes on these tools and performing a series of statistical analyses, I present new quantitative evidence on patterns of use-wear and potential uses of mata‘a. The results have important implications for the potential function of mata‘a, adding another layer of evidence for understanding the role of the tool on the island.