Ancient Sāmoan Structures Unveil the Birth of Social Hierarchy

Archaeological findings in Samoa's Falefa Valley reveal how population growth and fertile lands shaped the origins of hierarchical societies in Polynesia.

A groundbreaking discovery¹ in the dense jungles of the Falefa Valley on ʻUpolu Island, Sāmoa, has unveiled significant insights into the origins of land and social hierarchy in Polynesian society. Led by Associate Professor Ethan Cochrane from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, the study draws new connections between population growth, agricul…