オセアニアの貿易風帯に点在する環礁の１つ、北部クック諸島プカプカ環礁を対象に気象災害に対する小島嶼社会の脆弱性とレジリエンスを、ジオ考古学と歴史人類学の手法で通時的に解明した。特に熱帯サイクロンは、環礁社会の生計を支える天水田に塩害を引き起こす。島外からの救援物資が得られる現代でさえ、その復興には5年以上の歳月を要した。支援が期待しえない先史期の環礁社会はより脆弱だったはずである。天水田はAD14世紀に構築され始め、16世紀ごろに数を増し、いくつかは数度にわたって再掘削されきた。こうした考古学的な証拠は、サイクロン被害に対するレジリエンス（復興戦略）の一つのあり方と解釈できる。
This study aimed to elucidate the vulnerability and resilience to natural disasters of Pukapuka Atoll, a small island society in the Northern Cook Islands. The island is one of several atolls scattered within the trade wind zone. Tropical cyclones, in particular, are causing salt damage to the taro agricultural pits and swamps that sustain the subsistence. Even now, with relief supplies arriving from outside the island, it took more than five years to recover from Cyclone Percy hitting the atoll in February 2005. Prehistoric societies that could not expect support must have been more vulnerable. Archaeological evidence suggests that taro pits began to be constructed in the 14th century AD, and their numbers increased rapidly around his 16th century, with some pits being re-excavated from time to time. These features may be interpreted as a way of resilience (recovery process) of atoll societies.

研究種目 : 基盤研究 (A) (海外学術調査)
研究期間 : 2017～2021
課題番号 : 17H01647
研究分野 : ジオ考古学