Day 205: House of Taga, Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
📌APIA Every Day (205) - The House of Taga is an archaeological site located near San Jose Village on Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands. It features latte stones, foundational structures unique to the Mariana Islands, dating back approximately 800 years to the Latte Era of Chamorro culture. The site originally comprised 12 sets of latte stones, each measuring 15 feet in length. These structures consist of vertical pillars (haligi) topped with hemispherical capstones (tasa) and functioned as foundation posts for wood and thatch houses. The latte stones were quarried about 4,000 feet south of the site, indicating significant labor investment in their extraction, transportation, and erection. The site's name is derived from a legendary chief called Taga, who is said to have erected these pillars. While cultural legends associated with Taga exist, these should be distinguished from archaeological evidence. The House of Taga was part of a larger complex containing 18 similar constructions, most of which were destroyed during the urban expansion of Tinian Town prior to the end of World War II.
Historical documentation of the site began with British explorer George Anson's visit in 1742, when all twelve stones were still standing. Subsequent visitors documented the site's gradual deterioration, including French explorer Louis Claude de Freycinet in 1819 and Governor LuÃs de Ibáñez y GarcÃa in 1872. Currently, only one pillar of the House of Taga remains standing, with the others having fallen due to earthquakes and other factors. Despite this, the site continues to be a subject of archaeological and historical research. It serves as a tourist attraction, offering insights into prehistoric Chamorro architecture and engineering. The House of Taga is considered the largest known latte site in the Marianas and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
LEARN MORE:
National Archives Catalog - House of Taga NRHP Form
Flickr - House of Taga, Tinian
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