An Archaeological Survey of Haleakala 
By KENNETH 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,t 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 Museum 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. Ll. 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. 
sia (237) 
