Early Lapita settlement site at Bourewa, southwest VitiLevu Island, Fiji

A newly-discovered Lapita settlement at Bourewa on southwest VitiLevu Island, Fiji, was established originally on an offshore island perhaps as much as 1220 BCE by people whose main concern was optimal access to the broad fringing reef. Satellite settlements were established at nearby Rove and Waikereira later in Lapita times. The three oldest radiocarbon dates obtained from the base of the tightly-packed shell midden layer excavated at Bourewa and charcoal in the beach sand below are calibrated/corrected to 1220-970 BCE, 1210-940 BCE, and 1130-910 BCE. The BourewaLapita site appears to be the oldest-known in Fiji