Blog 4: What can archaeological discoveries teach us about New Zealand’s past?
Updated: Jun 30
JOURNEY 1 - SERIES 4 - BLOG 4 - A PART OF 10 BLOGS IN SERIES 4. - Reading time: 4 Mins
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:
Portable remains, usually called artefacts, include tools, clothing, and decorations.
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 and New Zealand's first settlers. 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. This discussion adds another dimension to New Zealand’s origin story. These migration patterns contribute to broader debates surrounding Southeast Asian migration to New Zealand and are frequently compared with established interpretations of Polynesian migration to New Zealand. Together, these competing perspectives continue to shape ongoing discussions about New Zealand’s first settlers.
A summary of the artefacts to be discussed include:
Archaeological Artefacts
Carved Panels: two carved panels of a similar style have been discovered in separate locations in Northland (Blog 4)
Tamil Bell/Cooking Vessel (Blog 4)
Polished Stone Tools (Blog 5)
Cut-Off Tree Stump (Blog 5)
Serpentine Stone Bird Carving (Blog 5)
Archaeological Features
Weka Pass Ranges Art (Blog 6)
Wairau Bar Excavation (Blog 7)
Waipoua Stone Settlement (Blog 8)
Poukawa Moa Excavation (Blog 9)
Canal Networks (Blog 10)
Artefact: Carved Panels
Pouto Ki Rongomaraeroa
Two carved panels of a similar style have been discovered in separate locations in Northland.
One was found during the draining of a swamp in the Kaitaia District and is now housed in the Auckland Museum. The second panel was uncovered in 1991 in the sand at Pouto Beach, Kaipara North Head. Local iwi were adamant that the carving was not the work of their ancestors. Now stored in the Dargaville Museum, the caption beside the carving states:
This ancient 2.7-metre pou, carved with stone tools from kauri, was discovered in sand dunes near Pouto Point after a storm in December 1991. It is believed to have been the right-hand entrance of a Waitaha village known as Matuinga.
The carving, called Pouto Ki Rongomaraeroa, is the only one of its kind to be restored and displayed in a public setting.
Its design and style differ from traditional Māori carvings, reinforcing the theory that the Waitaha had distinct origins and a longer history in New Zealand than Māori. The Waitaha are thought to have lived in settlements along much of New Zealand’s coast.
Artefact: Tamil Bell/Cooking Vessel
The Tamil Bell is a bronze bell inscribed with Tamil script, acquired around 1836 by missionary William Colenso. It was reportedly being used as a pot to boil potatoes by Māori women near Whangārei in the Northland Region of New Zealand.
Colenso was told that the bell had been discovered when a large tree was blown over during a heavy gale, revealing the artefact entangled in its roots. Its owners believed the bell had been in their iwi’s possession for several generations. Colenso exchanged an iron pot for the bell.
Two significant features of the bell stand out. First, its Tamil design indicates that it was crafted by people from Southern India or Sri Lanka. Second, it is made of bronze and shaped as a bell. This suggests it was manufactured overseas, as New Zealand had neither the bronze material nor the means to produce such an artefact.
This raises an important question: How did the bell reach New Zealand before 1836?
At some point, the bell must have left Southern India or Sri Lanka. Did it travel directly by ship to New Zealand, or did it arrive via Southeast Asia? As established in previous discussions, large-scale maritime trade between India and Southeast Asia existed over 2,000 years ago. Could ships from that region have ventured south to New Zealand during this period?
Key Takeaways
Archaeology distinguishes between artefacts (portable objects) and features (non-portable remains), and both types are essential for reconstructing early human activity in New Zealand.
New Zealand’s record of possible pre-Polynesian presence is fragmentary, partly because erosion, burial, and the relatively short period of modern settlement limit what can be found and excavated.
Specific finds—such as the Northland carved panels and the Tamil Bell—raise unresolved questions about who made them and how they arrived.
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