Loʻaloʻa Heiau
Description
Loʻaloʻa Heiau is located in a remote rural setting of southeastern Maui, at the small community of Kaupo. It is located on private land upland from Hawaii Route 31. The heiau is a three-tiered stone platform, built on a small hill. Its apparent measurements are about 115 by 500 feet (35 m × 152 m), but there is damage at one end that precludes an accurate determination of its size without further archaeological work. The eastern end of the platform is believed to be where the ceremonial functions took place, and has terraced retaining walls as high as 20 feet (6.1 m). The western portion of the platform has been significantly disturbed, with virtually no pavement and pit holes from which trees grow. There are secondary structures around some of the edges, and it is possible that the full site (including support facilities for the temple's ceremonial functions) is much larger.
Loʻaloʻa Heiau is a well-preserved example of a state-level temple. In particular, the site's features and known oral history suggest that it includes multiple phases in the evolution of Hawaiian religious practices prior to the arrival of outsiders. At the time of European contact in the late 18th century, the Kaupo area supported a population of about 1,000. When Kamehameha I united the island chain into a single kingdom in the early 19th century, the importance of Kaupo as a civic and ceremonial center declined.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Hawaii
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Maui County, Hawaii
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Historic Register Counts". Hawai'i State Historic Preservation Division. State of Hawaii. February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "Loaloa Heiau". National Historic Landmark Quicklinks. National Park Service. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
- ^ Dunbar, Helen R. (August 10, 1987). "Loaloa Heiau" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Inventory Nomination Form. National Park Service. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- ^ "Loaloa Heiau" (pdf). Photographs. National Park Service. Retrieved May 22, 2012.