Archeological Investigations

Ancient Guam Era

Cultural Design with History in Mind

Art and History organizations offered workshop to prepare. In 2016, Guam hosted the Festival of the Pacific Arts, a regional festival showcasing the diversity of

Stretching from the ancient CHamorus/Chamorros to the present day, the skill of weaving coconut leaves has shifted from necessity to the realm of arts and crafts. Victor Consaga/Guampedia

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient Guam’s Environment

In addition to analyzing artifacts, archeologists often study ancient environments to understand how prehistoric societies both shaped, and were shaped by, their natural surroundings. For

Fishing Tools Featured Image. Ancient CHamorus/Chamorros fishing for the village illustrated by JA Pellion from Freycinet’s Voyage Autour de Monde, Paris, 1824.

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Fishing Tools

The ancient CHamorus were very adept at fishing and used a variety of implements and techniques to procure food from the inland rivers, lagoons and

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Agricultural Practices

For most people in the Marianas today, getting something to eat is as easy as a trip to the grocery store or to a favorite

Ritidian (Litekyan)

Located on the northernmost tip of Guam, Ritidian is one of the most spectacular and culturally rich places on island. Formerly a restricted military area,

Gadao's cave pictographs. Photo from Dr. Judy Flores collection.

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Cave Art

Dating as far back as the Upper Paleolithic (around 10,000 to 40,000 years ago), humans have been producing art that has both captivated and puzzled

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Burial Practices

One of the distinguishing features of our humanity is the way in which people treat and understand death. Death is not only the end of

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru Fishing Practices

Two sources of information reveal the fishing practices of the Ancient CHamoru people. The first source is the archeological evidence. This includes the actual remains

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Pottery Usage

Archeologists help us learn about ancient cultures by looking at the objects or materials, known as artifacts, that people left behind. The most abundant artifact

Lime-impressed pottery found on Guam has been dated from about 3500 Before Present to 1200 Before Present and is relatively rare compared to the huge number of pre-latte shards collected.

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Pottery: Early Calcareous Ware

Of the different pottery forms produced in the Marianas, the lime-incised pottery from the early Pre-Latte era is of particular significance. Once referred to as