20. What archaeological feature evidence exists in New Zealand suggesting human habitation over two thousand years ago?

Archaeological Evidence

Archaeology is the study of the human past through material remains. These remains can include any objects that people created, modified, or used. There are two main categories of material remains:

1. Portable remains, usually called artefacts, include tools, clothing, and decorations. These have been dealt with in previous Blogs.

   
   

2. Non-portable remains, such as buildings or post-holes, are referred to as features.

Over time, New Zealand has been accumulating evidence of pre-Polynesian habitation. Nevertheless, this research is restricted by environmental factors and the brief duration of modern settlement within the country, thereby limiting the extent of archaeological excavations.

A summary of the features to be discussed include:

Archaeological Features

2.1 Weka Pass Ranges Art

2.2 Wairau Bar Excavation

2.3 Waipoua Stone Settlement

2.4 Poukawa Moa Excavation

2.5 Canal Networks

The following Blogs will provide the details around these features.

2.1 Weka Pass Ranges Art

Julius von Haast, Director of the Canterbury Museum, conducted the first scientific investigation of the Weka Pass Ranges rock drawings in 1876. These drawings are located on a 20-metre wall, with an average height of around 2 metres, under a rock shelter or overhang:

Haast commissioned artist T.S. Cousins to copy the main figures. His notes, along with the drawings, are recorded in Notes on Some Ancient Rock Paintings in New Zealand, published in The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (Vol. 8, 1879, pp. 50-65) by the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland.

In 1916, the principal original drawings were copied again, and in 1929, at the instigation of W.R.B. Oliver, Director of the Dominion Museum, these were over-painted in red and black house paint to enhance visibility. However, this had the opposite effect, obscuring the original artwork.

Haast’s work remains the most valuable, as he documented the drawings in their original state. In his notes, he outlines why the Weka Pass drawings are distinct from other Māori rock art found in the South Island. Most notably, he observed that the depicted objects resemble animals not found in New Zealand. Additionally, he noted that some smaller figures resembled the script on the Tamil bronze bell found by W. Colenso. A strong clue perhaps to who were New Zealand's first settlers?

Most paintings measure around 500 cm, with one extending nearly 5 metres. Haast’s interpretations of some of the drawings include:

• No. 4: A depiction of “a large snake possessing a swollen head and a long protruding tongue. The figure is nearly 3 feet long and shows numerous windings.”

  
  

• Another figure appears to be “a hat ornamented on the crown. The rim of this broad-brimmed relic measures 2 feet across. An expert in ancient customs and habits of Malayan and South Indian cultures might be able to provide insight on this.”

Haast concluded: “In examining the paintings under review, it is evident at first glance that they are quite distinct from those of the Maoris, which always consist of curved lines and scrollwork…”

“Some of the principal objects evidently belong to the animal kingdom and represent animals which do not occur in New Zealand.”

As an eminent scientist working in New Zealand during the 1870s, Haast made valuable observations. However, the original paintings were later compromised by over-painting. He did acknowledge that local Māori also contributed paintings at a later stage on the same site.

What archaeological features in New Zealand can you nominate where the identity of the builders remains uncertain or debated?

THE EVIDENCE about New Zealand's first settlers continues in the following Blogs

Your next read in the series: 21. What can we learn from the archaeological excavation at Wairau Bar, near Blenheim?