Cultivating an Ecological and Social Balance: Elite Demands and Commoner Knowledge in Ancient Ma‘ohi Agriculture, Society Islands

摘要: ABSTRACT  Anthropological views of past human–environmental interactions are influenced by the data sets used and subjects study. In this article, we seek a balanced view ancient in Society Islands. We explore social ecological contexts agricultural production incorporating archaeological ethnographic as well motivations actions Ma‘ohi elites commoners. Both commoners contributed to long-term productivity. The elite did so through periodic restrictions on harvesting; farmers knowledge acquired generations on-the-ground experience. Our fine-scale examination remains three systems ‘Opunohu Valley indicates that roles commoner played out differently depending their social-spatial proximity. By refocusing our analyses all players system, more nuanced understanding range environmental emerges.