Damage to Archaeological Sites on Tutuila Island (American Samoa) Following the 29 September 2009 Tsunami*

TUTUILA ISLAND IS PART OF THE SAMOAN Archipelago (Figure 1), located in the South Pacific. On September 29, 2009 an 8.0-8.3 magnitude earthquake occurred close to 200 km SW of Tutuila in the Tonga Trench; it triggered a massive tsunami that killed more than 200 people. On Tutuila 34 people lost their lives, on ‘Upolu 183 died, and on Niuatoputapu 9 perished. Tutuila experienced at least three destructive waves, up to 17 m in height and reaching over 700 m inland in some areas. More than 20 villages on Tutuila sustained substantial damage. At least half of the houses were destroyed in villages located at the eastern and western ends of the islands, such as Tula, Poloa, ‘Aman-ave, Fagasā, Vatia and Āsili, among others. Beaches were heavily impacted with enough erosion in places to expose cultural deposits. The banks and beds of nearshore steams were also scoured by the receding tsunami waves. The impetus behind the survey reported upon here was to record coastal and riparian archaeological remains exposed by the tsunami