Indirect dating of secondary cave burials in the Massim region of Papua New Guinea reveals last millennium reorganisation of social practices

In the Massim Island region of southeastern Papua New Guinea secondary interment of skeletal remains was widely practiced historically, but its social context and regional expression in the deeper past remains uncertain. In this paper the chronology of secondary burial on Panaeati Island is established indirectly by reconstructing the cultural and spatiotemporal association of 21 clay pots placed with human skeletal remains at Biniwaga Cave, coincidently establishing the first whole vessel typology of Southern Massim Combed Pottery (SMCP) and Southern Massim Pottery (SMP). Comparison with excavated pottery assemblages on Panaeati and elsewhere in the region demonstrates that the Biniwaga pots are consistent with SMCP and early SMP, dating from 740 to 470 calBP. Secondary burial practices on Panaeati are contemporary with those recorded elsewhere in the region and coincide with changes in pottery production centres. Compared to excavated pottery assemblages from contemporary sites, a relatively narrow range of pots are represented at Biniwaga. It is hypothesised that pots were selected to reflect the cultural affiliation of deceased individuals during a period of increasing inter-island interaction. Dans la region insulaire de Massim, au sud-est de la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinee, l'inhumation secondaire de restes squelettiques etait historiquement largement pratiquee, mais son contexte social et son expression regionale dans un passe plus profond restent incertains. Dans cet article, la chronologie de l'inhumation secondaire sur l'ile de Panaeati est etablie indirectement en reconstruisant l'association culturelle et spatio-temporelle de 21 pots en argile places avec des restes squelettiques humains dans la grotte de Biniwaga, etablissant ainsi par coincidence la premiere typologie de recipients entiers de la poterie peignee du Massim du Sud (SMCP) et Poterie Massim du Sud (SMP). La comparaison avec les assemblages de poteries excaves a Panaeati et ailleurs dans la region demontre que les pots de Biniwaga sont coherents avec le SMCP et le premier SMP, datant de 740 a 470 calBP. Les pratiques funeraires secondaires a Panaeati sont contemporaines de celles enregistrees ailleurs dans la region et coincident avec les changements dans les centres de production de poterie. Comparee a ux assemblages de poteries excaves sur des sites contemporains, une gamme relativement restreinte de pots est representee a Biniwaga. On suppose que les pots ont ete selectionnes pour refleter l'affiliation culturelle des individus decedes au cours d'une periode d'interaction croissante entre les iles.