Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to form a typology for a collection of Marshallese adzes and compare the differences between the collections from Ebon and Maloelap atolls.
The raw materials used fall into five groups: Adzes made out of the interior of the giant clam, Tridacna gigas, abbreviated TRI-INT, adzes made from the exterior of the elongate giant clam, Tridacna maxima (TRI-EXT), adzes made from the lip of the helmet shells (cassidae), adzes made from the body whorl of cassidae, conches (Lambis species) and cone shells (Conus species) and adzes made from the auger or turret shells (Terebra maculata or Mitra mitra). A series of metric and discrete attributes were recorded for each adze, and these were used to form the typology. Cross section, orientation of the bevel, and shape of the bevel are the most useful features for defining types. Types can include more than one kind of raw material but the majority of types are made from one main raw material group.
There is no significant difference between the proportion of each adze type recovered from Ebon and Maloelap atolls, except that TRI-INT types are more common on Ebon. The only two Terebra adzes are also from Ebon and adzes made from the lip of the homed helmet shell, Cassis cornuta, are more common on Maloelap. There were too few adzes from Ujae to include this atoll in the regional comparison.
As the largest Tridacna species is not known from Maloelap it is not surprising that adzes made from Tridacna gigas are rare there. According to the species range of the bulls mouth helmet (Cypraecassis rufa) this species should not be found in the Marshall Islands, but it is so widespread that it must have been more common in the past than the modern geographic range indicates.
In conclusion, my typology presented in this thesis adequately classifies Marshallese adzes and there are no significant differences between the assemblages from Ebon and Maloelap Atolls. My classification of Marshallese shell adzes should have utility for other assemblages throughout the Pacific where shell adzes are found.