Radiocarbon determinations from the Mulifanua Lapita site, Upolu, Western Samoa

The Mulifanua ferry berth has the distinction of being the only site in Sam oa with dentate-stamped Lapita wares, and is the most easterly Lapita site in the Pacific. Two new radiocarbon determinations of material associated w ith Lapita pottery found at Mulifanua are presented. The accuracy of this d ata is evaluated according to the results of recent reassessment of pottery from the site, and current theories regarding the age of Lapita settlement in the eastern Pacific. The resulting calibrated radiocarbon ages put occu pation of the Mulifanua Lapita site at around 2880-2750 cal BP (930-800 BC) . This conclusion is in agreement with the pottery chronology and supports recent hypotheses of rapid Lapita settlement in the Fiji/Tonga region aroun d 2850-2700 cal BP (900-750 BC).