An Archaeological Survey of Haleakala 



By Ke;nneth P. Emory 



INTRODUCTION 



Haleakala, which is substantially coextensive with east Maui, 

 is the giant volcanic cone of the largest inactive crater in the 

 world. It rises from the sea to a height of 10,000 feet, culminating 

 in a jagged wall 20 miles in circumference which forms the 

 encircling rim of the crater broken only at Koolau Gap and Kaupo 

 Gap. The floor of this crater, an area of about 15 square miles, 

 lies 1000 to 3000 feet below the rim and forms a base from which 

 rise a series of ancient cinder cones overspread by lava flows of 

 various ages. 



This enormous pit with its meager plant and animal life and 

 its uncongenial climate seems a most unsuitable place for even 

 temporary settlement. "Tradition throws no light upon any occu- 

 pancy of the Crater of Haleakala,^ and few travelers across these 

 desolate wastes have had occasion to wander far from well estab- 

 lished trails. It is not therefore surprising that the existence of 

 ruins within Haleakala has but recently come to the attention of 

 ethnologists. 



Early in 1920 the Aluseum received from C. S. Judd, Terri- 

 torial Forester, a photograph of a walled enclosure on the floor of 

 the crater, and later in the year information from Miss Armine 

 Von Tempsky, transmitted to the Museum by Mr. L. A. Thurston, 

 led to the organization of a field party to investigate reported dis- 

 coveries. Leaving Honolulu on August 27, Robert T. Aitken and 

 the writer spent seventeen days at Haleakala on a preliminary 

 reconnaissance survey that furnished sufficient data for Mr. Aitken 

 to submit a report recommending further investigation. On Octo- 

 ber 2, with Antone Gouveia as assistant, the writer returned to 



^Personal communication, March 23, 1921. 



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