Technological and social aspects of the use of obsidian in the ancient and traditional cultures of the Pacific (the case of stemmed obsidian tools (mata’a) on Easter island)

The article provides a technological analysis of obsidian stemmed tools (mata’a), known from ethnographic collections and archaeological research on Easter Island (Polynesia). The authors examine the models of cultural transfer of lithic technology under island isolation, as well as the social aspect of the use of volcanic glass in the context of gift-giving economy, ritual and decorative art of the ancient and traditional cultures of the Pacific basin.