THE GEOLOGICAL ENGINEER AS A COURT-APPOINTED EXPERT: RETRIEVAL OF THE FORBES COLLECTION OF HAWAIIAN CULTURAL ARTIFACTS

In 1905, David Forbes discovered Hawaiian cultural artifacts in a cave, many of which became the 83 items of the “Forbes Collection” of the Bishop Museum, Honolulu. In 2000, Hui Malama, a Hawaiian organization, borrowed the Forbes Collection and then sealed most artifacts in Forbes' Cave by constructing rock barriers and a reinforced cemented rock wall. The remainder was sealed within Mummy Cave by constructing a rock barrier. Hui Malama and the Bishop Museum were sued by Hawaiian groups seeking the return of the items to the Hawaiian people. During controversial legal proceedings, Hui Malama declared that lava tube caves were “geologically fragile”, and that attempts to breach the barriers could be fatal. The US District Court in Honolulu retained Geosyntec Consultants to consult on cave stability, and later extended the appointment to authorize removal of the barriers and assist in retrieval of the artifacts.

Initial reconnaissance revealed original lava tube morphology within Pleistocene basalts, indicating long-term rock stability and that the section of interest in Forbes' Cave was not “geologically fragile” as claimed. Removal of the rock/rebar barrier wall was performed in hot, cramped conditions and required hand tools and a non-explosive demolition powder. Cave wall monitoring was performed, despite the apparent short-term stability of the rock. In Mummy Cave, access was blocked by an apparent “rock fall” and the artifacts were discovered hidden in another "rock-fall". However, these “rock falls” were actually purposefully constructed stacked rock piles, inconsistent with the outcropped geology in surrounding cave surfaces.

All 83 artifacts were eventually retrieved and returned to Honolulu where their future disposition is currently being decided by native Hawaiian groups under the NAGPRA protocol.