Tautama

People lived on Pitcairn for several centuries before the Bounty arrived and then left, and the clearest thing they left behind is at Tautama on the south coast: a quarry in fine-grained volcanic rock where adzes were cut, with flakes and unfinished pieces still on the ground. Stone from Pitcairn has been found on islands a long way off, which shows it was traded across the region. The southern coast is the least accessible side of the island and few people go along it.

What you actually see

• The quarry face - the rock the adze blanks were cut from.
• The flakes - the working debris still lying on the ground.
• The unfinished pieces - blanks abandoned partway through.
• The trade evidence - Pitcairn stone found on distant islands.

When to go

April to October is cooler for the walk. The track is slippery after rain. Sea conditions affect the coastal section.

Honest expectations

The route is steep and rough and local guidance is needed to find the site. Nothing may be removed; the material is archaeological. There is no interpretation on the ground.

Nearby

St Paul's Pool is east, and Adamstown is north.