How it began
Latte are stone remains found only in the Mariana Islands and are tied to the ancient CHamoru people. Guampedia reports that archaeologists debate when building began, with estimates running from about 1,200 to about 800 years before present, and that construction stopped around 300 years before present. Guam's visitor bureau gives the same span and says latte stayed in use until about the time Spain colonized the Marianas in the 1600s. They occur on Guam and on Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
How it works
A latte has two stones. The shaft that stands on the ground is the haligi, a rectangular or trapezoidal pillar, and the hemispherical capstone set on it is the tasa. The pillars were cut from limestone, basalt or sandstone and range from about 60 centimeters to more than three meters tall. Builders set them in two parallel rows and used the pairs as the foundation for wood and thatch buildings. Guampedia describes limestone being quarried with basalt tools and raised with lifting techniques.
What changed first
Latte raised buildings above the ground on durable stone supports. Guampedia lists several uses for the structures they carried: houses for high-ranking families, communal houses for men, and shelters for canoes. The visitor bureau describes rows of six to fourteen pairs carrying houses and other important buildings.
What lasted
The pillars outlasted the wooden buildings they held and remain the most visible trace of CHamoru society before Spanish rule. Guam's visitor bureau calls the latte a modern symbol of Chamorro strength and identity, and Guampedia notes that the form is a cultural icon that shapes modern architecture in the islands.
Where it stands today
Latte sites survive throughout the Mariana Islands. In Guam, eight latte that once supported ancient homes are set up for visitors to see, and the two-part shape of shaft and cap is widely reused as a motif in buildings and public design. Guampedia treats the structures as archaeological remains unique to the archipelago.
