Item X 32087.11 Potsherd. Watom Island, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea. c. 2850 to 1850 years ago

Summary

Part of a collection of pottery sherds originating at the small island of Vuatom (Watom) in Papua New Guinea's (PNG's) Bismarck Archipelago. The original object register of the National Museum of Victoria (now known as Museums Victoria) records that the sherds were 'dug up ... found at about a depth of 4 feet, about 50 yards from the high water, on one of the very few level patches of Watom'.

The sherds are ornately decorated with motifs created by impressing a comb-like tool or shell, and by making incisions into the vessel surface before firing.

Archaeologists use the term 'Lapita' to refer to this style of pottery, made by First Peoples who were expert seafarers. Similar pottery has been found in other island and coastal locations in north and north-west PNG, as well as on the south coast. Elaborately decorated pottery has also been found at the earliest archaeological sites in the south-east Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. The earliest 'Lapita' style pottery found in the Pacific dates to around 3300 years ago, but the Watom Island pottery probably dates to within the period c. 2850-1850 years ago.

Physical Description

Earthenware sherd. One face has three fields of decoration, each of which is separated by two horizontally oriented (and parallel) indented lines. Each decorative field features repeated geometric motifs. Two of the motifs are composed of tesselated arc shapes. One of the motifs is composed of arc shapes and short, vertically-oriented lines. All motifs appear to be composed of small indentations, probably made using a shell or a comb-like tool. Possibly from the same vessel as X32087.10 and X32087.12.