Artifact analysis

Selected artifacts

• Sixteen interesting items found on Niku.
• "Help Wanted: Smelling for Gunsmoke."
• "Join the Search."--items you may be able to help locate or identify.
• Niku V: Reports and Analysis.
• "Review and Update," TIGHAR Tracks, November 2010.
• Niku VI: PIPA Report, Earhart Project Artifacts.
• PIPA Report, Complete list thru Niku VI

Expedition	Year	ID Number	Description
Niku I	1989	2-1	a navigator's bookcase
Niku I	1989	2-1-V-18 and 2-1-V-2	"Dado" or heat shield
Niku II	1991	2-2-G-7/1-9	parts of a woman's shoe, Cat's Paw repair heel
Niku II	1991	2-2-V-1	Alclad aluminum sheet
Niku IIIP	1996	2-3-S-5	Button
Niku IIIP	1996	2-3-V-1	Cables
Niku IIIP	1996	2-3-V-2	Transparent Sheet (plexiglass)
Niku IIII	2001	2-6-S-18	Part of a makeup mirror.
Niku IIII	2001	2-6-S-21F	Tube part?
Niku IIII	2001	2-6-S-32	Part of a straight razor?
Niku IIII	2001	2-6-S-43	Anode plate
Niku IIII	2001	2-6-S-45	Oil can cap (not a knob)
Niku IIII	2001	2-6-S-46	Looped heavy duty non-magnetic wire that was once welded(?) to another non-magnetic metal surface.
Niku IIII	2001	2-6-S-03a and 2-6-S-03b	little clips, a.k.a gidgies
Niku IIII	2001	2-6-S-21b	Fragment of hexagonal bottle.
Niku VP	2003	2-7-V-1 and 2-7-V-2	"Dado" or heat shield
Niku V	2007	2-8-S-1	Part of a makeup mirror.
Niku V	2007	2-8-S-2a	Bottom of a bottle.
Niku V	2007	2-8-S-3	Talon zipper.
Niku V	2007	2-8-S-5	Part of a pocket knife
Niku V	2007	2-8-S-25	Fragments of an amber bottle.
Niku V	2007	2-8-S-27	Fragments of a green bottle.
Niku V	2007	2-8-S-30	Red material. Rouge?
Niku V	2007	2-8-S-41a and 2-8-S-41b	Fragments of a hexagonal bottle.
		remnants of riveted can

Comprehensive list of artifacts

1944

From kanawa wood box collected at Ritiati/Noriti (Karaka Village) by John Mims 1944

2-0-V-1

small diamond shaped piece of aluminum

1989

From Fieldwork at Ritiati/Noriti (Village) 1989

2-1-V-1	navigator’s bookcase
2-1-V-2	cut aluminum sheet
2-1-V-3	cut aluminum strip
2-1-V-4	electrical terminal strip
2-1-V-5	aluminum rectangle
2-1-V-8	sheet aluminum structure
2-1-V-10	broken knife blade

1991

From Fieldwork at Ritiati/Noriti (Village) 1991

2-2-V-1	Aluminum sheet with rivet holes
2-2-V-2	Piece of cut out material with metal mount
2-2-V-3	Bent metal cylinder
2-2-V-4	Metal ring
2-2-V-5	Metal comb
2-2-V-6	Misc. unidentified metal objects (5)
2-2-V-7	Remnant of rubber hose
2-2-V-8	Torn aluminum structure, apparent # 32B 10
2-2-V-9	Aluminum channel section
2-2-V-10	Aluminum strips /1 and /2
2-2-V-11	Shoe top
2-2-V-12	Boot sole
2-2-V-13	Section of aluminum pipe

1991

From Fieldwork at “Shoe Site” Aukeraime South 1991

2-2-G-1
Fish vertabrae (?)
2-2-G-2	Unknown bone
2-2-G-3	Tiny (rat?) humerus
2-2-G-4	Examples of rusted barrel iron
2-2-G-5	Thermometer, broken
2-2-G-6	Threaded metal cap
2-2-G-7	Shoe parts
2-2-G-7/1Cats	Paw heel
2-2-G-7/2	Sole
2-2-G-7/3	Sole pieces
2-2-G-7/4	Sole pieces
2-2-G-7/5	Sole pieces
2-2-G-7/6	Leather pieces
2-2-G-7/7	Leather pieces
2-2-G-7/8	Leather pieces
2-2-G-7, /6, /7 & /8	screened bits of leather, ferrous metal, brass eyelet	2-2-G-7/9	Leather piece
2-2-G-8	Shoe heel
2-2-G-9	Misc. charcoal pieces

1991

From Fieldwork on beach Aukeraime North 1991

2-2-B-1	Rifle cartridges
2-2-B-2	.45 cal. slug
2-2-B-3	Handmade bamboo, aluminum and rope object

1996

From Fieldwork at “Seven Site” Aukeraime North, 1996

2-3-S-5 button

1996

From Fieldwork at Ritiati/Noriti (Karaka Village) 1996

2-3-V-1	radio cables
2-3-V-2	Plexiglas fragment
2-3-V-3	thin stainless steel wire similar to aircraft safety wire

1997

From Fieldwork at “Shoe Site” Aukeraime South 1997

2-4-A-2

small metal washer

1997

From Fieldwork at Ritiati/Noriti (Karaka Village) 1997

2-4-V-1	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-2	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-3	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-4	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-5	aluminum stringer
2-4-V-9	channel section
2-2-V-10	aluminum cut strips
2-4-V-10a	aluminum sheet
2-4-V-10b	aluminum sheet piece
2-4-V-11	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-12	aluminum cut strip
2-4-V-21	aluminum comb
2-4-V-26	aluminum B-24 cap strip
2-4-V-29	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-32	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-33	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-35	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-48	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-54	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-55	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-58	aluminum strip
2-4-V-60	stainless steel safety wire
2-4-V-66	aluminum comb
2-4-V-86	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-87	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-88	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-89	aluminum plate piece
2-4-V-90	aluminum comb
2-4-V-93	heavy aluminum part
2-4-V-94	aluminum strip
2-4-V-103	aluminum plate
2-4-V-105	aluminum rectangle
2-4-V-106	aluminum rectangle

1999

From Fieldwork on Nutriran 1999

2-5-N-1	broken fitting
2-5-N-2	aluminum rectangle

2001

From Fieldwork at Loran Station 2001

2-6-L-01	Copper screening sample
2-6-L-02	Copper wire samples
2-6-L-03	Metal samples
2-6-L-04	Corrugated metal

2001

From Fieldwork at Ritiati/Noriti (Karaka Village) 2001

2-6-V-01	Asphalt sheet sample
2-6-V-02	Asbestos sheet samples

From Fieldwork in Tatiman Passage 2001

2-6-T-01	Aluminum artifact
2-6-T-02a	Metal fastener
2-6-T-02b	Piece of finished wood
2-6-T-03a	shell casing, British
2-6-T-03b	fragmented bullet
2-6-T-04	Light bulb base, American style
2-6-T-05a	Copper tubing
2-6-T-05b	Brass screw
2-6-T-05C	Can lid

From Fieldwork at “Seven Site” Aukeraime North 2001

2-6-S-01	Plate sherd #1
2-6-S-02	Large asbestos sheet
2-6-S-03a	Aluminum (?) object, rounded, with copper (?) screw
2-6-S-03b	Aluminum (?) object, squared, with copper (?) screw
2-6-S-04	Small asbestos sheet
2-6-S-05	Copper screening
2-6-S-06	.22 shell casing with "U"
2-6-S-07	Food can
2-6-S-08	Plate sherd #2
2-6-S-09	Copper screening
2-6-S-10	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-11	Southeast corner of tank
2-6-S-12	heavy ferrous triangular piece
2-6-S-13	Wood, finished
2-6-S-14	Copper screening
2-6-S-15	Metal pieces
2-6-S-16	Small glass sherd
2-6-S-17	Plate sherd, USCG
2-6-S-18	Flat glass fragment
2-6-S-19a	Unknown material, biological?
2-6-S-19b	brown glass shard, burned
2-6-S-19c	brown glass shard, unburned
2-6-S-19d	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-20	Metal flakes
2-6-S-21a	Glass sherd, broken - fishnet float
2-6-S-21b	Glass sherd - piece of bottle
2-6-S-21c	Heavy copper wire
2-6-S-21d	Copper screening
2-6-S-21e	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-21f	light ferrous metal cap w/ flanges
2-6-S-22	Plate sherd, edge
2-6-S-23	Plate sherd with USCG pattern
2-6-S-24a	.22 Cal shell casing
2-6-S-24b	.22 Cal shell casing
2-6-S-25	Heavy electrical connector with cable end
2-6-S-26	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-27	Copper screening
2-6-S-28	large small-headed nail
2-6-S-29	Copper screening (in clam feature)
2-6-S-30	Glass fragment, light bulb (?) 0.5m from SW corner of tank
2-6-S-31	Copper screening
2-6-S-32	Scalloped object with nail
2-6-S-33	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-34	Nail, square brass (boat nail?)
2-6-S-35	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-36	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-37	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-38	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-39	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-40	Copper screening (large sheet)
2-6-S-41	Light bulb base (bakelite?)
2-6-S-42	Copper wire
2-6-S-43	Half-cylinder, thin metal, with flanges
2-6-S-44	nail with washer
2-6-S-45	knurled knob
2-6-S-46	cup handle ?
2-6-S-47	concrete block fragment
2-6-S-48a	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-48b	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-48c	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-48d	.30 Cal stripper clip ?
2-6-S-49	Asphalt sheet
2-6-S-50a	Small plastic cap
2-6-S-50b	Large plastic cap
2-6-S-51a	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-51b	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-51c	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-51d	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-51e	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-51f	.30 Cal M-1 Carbine case
2-6-S-51g	complete .30 cal round
2-6-S-51h	.30 cal bullet
2-6-S-52	metal object samples
2-6-S-53	metal flakes
2-6-S-54	Asphalt sheet samples
2-6-S-55	light bulb post
2-6-S-56	Asphalt structure
2-6-S-57	Corrugated metal sample
2-6-S-58	Sample metal channel material
2-6-S-59	Pumice
2-6-S-60	Pumice

2003

From Fieldwork at Ritiati/Noriti (Karaka Village) 2003

2-7-V-1	cut aluminum sheet
2-7-V-2	cut aluminum sheet

2007

From Fieldwork at Ritiati/Noriti (Karaka Village) 2007

2-8-V-1	aluminum fragment
2-8-V-2	radio knob and shaft
2-8-V-3	aluminum fragment
2-8-V-4	aluminum fragment
2-8-V-5	pulley
2-8-V-6	bearing sleeve
2-8-V-7	bearing sleeve
2-8-V-8	bearing sleeve
2-8-V-9	bearing sleeve
2-8-V-10	possible brake part
2-8-V-11	possible brake part
2-8-V-12	metal fitting
2-8-V-13	unidentified machine part
2-8-V-14	bushing
2-8-V-15	bushing
2-8-V-16	nut
2-8-V-17	coaxial cable connector
2-8-V-18	capacitor
2-8-V-19	wheel hub
2-8-V-20	compression fiting
2-8-V-21	aluminum fragment
2-8-V-22	metal fragment
2-8-V-23	five-strand stainless steel wire
2-8-V-24	squeeze tube top
2-8-V-25	1953 Australian florin
2-8-V-26	bearing sleeve
2-8-V-27	metal fragment
2-8-V-28	possible radio part
2-8-V-29	coaxial cable connector
2-8-V-30	coaxial cable fitting
2-8-V-31	aluminum fragment
2-8-V-32	radio part
2-8-V-33	watch
2-8-V-34	bearing sleeve
2-8-V-35	bearing sleeve
2-8-V-36	bearing sleeve
2-8-V-37	bearing sleeve

2007

From Fieldwork at “Seven Site” Aukeraime North 2007

2-8-S-1	Flat glass fragment
2-8-S-2 a&b	bottle bottom and fragment
2-8-S-3	zipper
2-8-S-4 a&b	snap
2-8-S-5	broken pocket knife
2-8-S-7	.45 slug
2-8-S-8	M1 carbine shell casing
2-8-S-9	M1 carbine shell casing
2-8-S-10	M1 carbine shell casing
2-8-S-11	M1 carbine slug
2-8-S-12	.22 shell casing
2-8-S-13	.22 shell casing
2-8-S-14	.22 shell casing
2-8-S-15	cable clamp
2-8-S-16	ceramic shard
2-8-S-17	ceramic shard
2-8-S-18	unidentified beige mass
2-8-S-19	mashed bullet
2-8-S-20	thick glass shard
2-8-S-21	thin curved glass shard
2-8-S-22	metal fragments
2-8-S-23	green wire mesh
2-8-S-24	red wafer
2-8-S-25	wire, bent to hold bottles?
2-8-S-26	broken amber glass bottle
2-8-S-27	broken green glass bottle
2-8-S-30	red wafer
2-8-S-31a&b	aluminum nails
2-8-S-32	non-metalic fragment
2-6-S-33	fragment of unidentified material
2-8-S-34	black tubing
2-8-S-35a&b	gaskets
2-8-S-37	red wafer
2-8-S-38	fragment of unidentified material
2-8-S-39	metal fragment with red material
2-8-S-40a&b	metal fragments with possible enamel
2-8-S-41	stripper clip (0.30 cal)
2-8-S-42	brass (?) ring
2-8-S-43a&b	ferrous pieces
2-8-S-44	red ferrous with edge (?)
2-8-S-45	ferrous with red
2-8-S-46	ferrous with red
2-8-S-47	non-magnetic material
2-8-S-48a,b,c	apparent ferrous but non-magnetic
2-8-S-49	fibrous material
2-8-S-50	sherd of CG crockery
2-8-S-51	fingertip bandage (probably modern)
2-8-S-52	ferrous (treated)
2-8-S-53	brown glass (heated/bubbled)
2-8-S-54a&b	frosted glass
2-8-S-55	glass bottle top (frosted)
2-8-S-56	ceramic sherd
2-8-S-57	glass shard (flash bulb)
2-8-S-58	glass shard (flash bulb)
2-8-S-59	ferrous pieces with gray (per TK 1/23/09)
2-8-S-60	ferrous pieces with wire reinforce and rivets (per TK 1/23/09)
2-8-S-61a&b	glass from bird bone feature S of SL-3 (cataloged 9-27-10)

2010

From Fieldwork at “Seven Site” Aukeraime North 2010 (partial)
Note: Red signifies sterile collection

2-9-S-1	broken glass jar
2-9-S-1a	part of top
2-9-S-1b	part of top (distant)
2-9-S-1c	part of bottom
2-9-S-1d	part of bottom
2-9-S-1e	part of bottom
2-9-S-2	leather?
2-9-S-3	button, large
2-9-S-4	button, small
2-9-S-5	bead
2-9-S-6	cervical bone?
2-9-S-7	bone chip?
2-9-S-8	leather?
2-9-S-9	small bone?
2-9-S-10	rouge pieces (9)
2-9-S-11a&b	turtle?
2-9-S-12	metal cap?
2-9-S-13	bone chip?
2-9-S-14	cloth
2-9-S-15	clam shucker?
2-9-S-16	knife body
2-9-S-17	knife bolster
2-9-S-18	knife bone fragment
2-9-S-19	small plastic cap
2-9-S-20	twisted wire
2-9-S-21	thin broken glass
2-9-S-22	thin broken glass
2-9-S-23	thin broken glass
2-9-S-24	thin broken glass
2-9-S-25	thin broken glass
2-9-S-26	thin broken glass
2-9-S-27	broken Mennen bottle
2-9-S-28	three comb teeth
2-9-S-29	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-30	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-31	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-32	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-33	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-34	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-35	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-36	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-37	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-38	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-39a	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-39b	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-40	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-41	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-42a	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-42b	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-43a	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-43b	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-43c	.22 shell casing
2-9-S-44	glass, curved, green
2-9-S-45	glass, green
2-9-S-46	glass, green
2-9-S-47	glass, green
2-9-S-48	glass, green
2-9-S-49	tiny wire
2-9-S-50	glass, Mennen
2-9-S-51	glass, Mennen?
2-9-S-52	glass, Mennen?
2-9-S-53	glass, Mennen
2-9-S-54	glass, Mennen
2-9-S-55	glass, corner
2-9-S-56	glass (3 pieces)
2-9-S-57	glass
2-9-S-58	glass, Mennen
2-9-S-59	glass
2-9-S-60	glass, Mennen?
2-9-S-61	glass, Mennen
2-9-S-62	glass, Mennen
2-9-S-63	glass, Mennen
2-9-S-64	glass, Mennen
2-9-S-65	glass, corner
2-9-S-66	cap, threaded & knurled
2-9-S-67	cap, threaded
2-9-S-68	translucent frag
2-9-S-69	translucent/ceramic?
2-9-S-70	red rounded frags
2-9-S-71	tiny red frags
2-9-S-72	tinier red frags
2-9-S-73	red frag
2-9-S-74	battery?
2-9-S-75	the “dragonfly”
2-9-S-76	tiny red flakes
2-9-S-77	nail
2-9-S-78	glass, amber
2-9-S-79	glass
2-9-S-80	cheesehead screw
2-9-S-81	many ferrous chunks
2-9-S-82	many ferrous chunks
2-9-S-82a	plug and washer
2-9-S-83a	ferrous pieces
2-9-S-83b	ferrous pieces
2-9-S-83c	ferrous pieces
2-9-S-83d	ferrous pieces
2-9-S-83e	ferrous pieces
2-9-S-83f	ferrous pieces
2-9-S-84	corrugated iron
2-9-S-85	ferrous pieces w/coating
2-9-S-86	ferrous
2-9-S-87	ferrous
2-9-S-88	metallic object
2-9-S-89	rod tip
2-9-S-90a	corrugation
2-9-S-90b	corrugation
2-9-S-91	dowel
2-9-S-92	iron shards
2-9-S-93	ferrous
2-9-S-94	ferrous rivets/corner.
2-9-S-95	corrugation
2-9-S-96	rectangular ferrous
2-9-S-97	ferrous with coating
2-9-S-98	ferrous
2-9-S-99	ferrous
2-9-S-100	broken iron dowels.
2-9-S-101	ferrous
2-9-S-102	dowel
2-9-S-103	tin can? Round obj.
2-9-S-104	thick ferrous
2-9-S-104a	plug, washer like 2-9-S-82a
2-9-S-105	ferrous
2-9-S-106	ferrous
2-9-S-107	intact iron dowels and nail