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Joel Klenck, Report for the Manu’a Archaeological Survey, Luatele or Judds Crater, Island Of Ta’u, American Samoa

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Archaeologist Joel Klenck authors an archaeological survey for prehistoric and historic properties covering approximately 50 acres conducted in and around Luatele or Judds Crater, on Ta’u Island, for the American Samoa Historic Preservation Office, in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (“NHPA”), as amended. The project resulted in the identification and recordation of twenty-four (24) historic sites comprising one hundred and one (101) archaeological features and one natural feature that associates with a Samoan legend. A National Register Nomination will be submitted for five (5) sites: AS-11-100 to AS-11-104, representing Features 001 to 017, consisting of three (3) tia seu lupe (pigeon-catching mounds), four (4) oval boulder mounds, and platforms, rock walls, and terraces associated with Solo Tagata or “line of people,” precontact features on the rim of Judds Crater.
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... The area of contiguous terracing is roughly bounded on the northwestern side of the project area by an intermittent stream and by steep cliffs to the north. The inland boundary is more difficult to define, as archaeological remains continue slightly past the crater (Klenck 2016). However, a series of large cross-slope walls does mark an elevation at which the nature of the archaeological record changes from a dense concentration of terracing to more specialized features and more sporadic linear mounds. ...
... 340 masl in the center-west transect. It is above this point that there seems to be a shift in the nature of the archaeological record wherein terracing is more sporadic, linear mounds parallel to the slope are rare, and ritual sites are present (see Klenck 2016). ...
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