The lexicon of Proto Oceanic is a series of six volumes reconstructing the lexicon of Proto Oceanic, the language ancestral to most of the Austornesian languages of Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia. Each volume presents a series of essays that draw on the features identified by the reconstructions to describe the way of life and environment of Proto Oceanic speakers, using relevant background material including archaeological, ethnographic and bio-geographical information. The volumes are intended to serve as a resource for linguists, culture historians, archaeologists and others interested in the prehistory of the Pacific region.