Archaeology by ancestor

The village of Pang Pang is like many in Vanuatu. A dozen or so traditional houses, covered in native natangura palm leaves lay nestled between tall coconut palms and mango trees. Led for the first time by Indigenous archaeologists, a dig team at Pang Pang is tapping into the Pacific’s ancient past. Prianka Srinivasan was there to witness something special.

As part of the Ultramarine project we are republishing some paid content for free. This story was originally published in issue 100 of Cosmos print magazine, in September 2023. You can read more amazing long reads if you subscribe now.