Heritage sites, Archaeological discoveries, History of Archaeology

East Rennell

Location

Bellona Province

Country

Solomon Islands

Year of Research

1998

Culture

East Rennell makes up the southern third of Rennell Island.It is the southernmost island in the Solomon Island group in the western Pacific. Rennell, 86 km long and 15 km wide, is the biggest raised coral atoll in the world.

The site has about 37,000 ha and a marine area extending 3 nautical miles to sea. An important place of the island is Lake Tegano, which was the former lagoon on the atoll.

The lake, the biggest in the insular Pacific (15,500 ha), is brackish and it has many rugged limestone islands and endemic species. Rennell is mostly covered with thick forest, with a canopy averaging 20 m in height.

Along with the strong climatic effects of non-stop cyclones, the place is a true natural laboratory for scientific study.

The place is under customary land ownership and management.East Rennell, as a stepping stone in the migration and evolution of species in the western Pacific, is a famous site for the science of island biogeography.

Along with the strong climate effects of frequent cyclones, East Rennell is a true natural laboratory for scientific study.