Blog 5: Direct Connections: Southeast Asian Objects Unearthed in New Zealand
- Kerry Paul
- May 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 30
JOURNEY 1 - SERIES 5 - BLOG 5 - A PART OF 9 BLOGS IN SERIES 5 - Reading time: 3 Mins 30 Secs
Numerous artefacts originating from other countries—especially Southeast Asian nations—have been unexpectedly discovered in New Zealand. While it is evident that these items made their way to New Zealand, the exact means by which they arrived remains uncertain. Natural processes such as volcanic ash deposition, sediment movement, and the transformation of vegetation into humus can quickly conceal objects deep beneath the soil. Thanks to fortunate discoveries, several of these artefacts have come to light, and it is likely that much more evidence of early arrivals still lies hidden underground. A few examples are provided:
Serpentine Stone Bird Carving
In 1878, a finely carved stone bird made from dark green serpentine was discovered in New Zealand. The stone itself is not native to New Zealand, with the nearest sources found in Indonesia and China, and the craftsmanship indicates the use of metal tools. Since Māori in New Zealand and East Polynesia did not possess metal tools or the skills for such detailed stone carving, the most likely origin of the artefact is Southeast Asia where both serpentine stone and fine carving skills were present.
Tamil Bell/Cooking Vessel
The Tamil Bell is a bronze bell inscribed with Tamil script, acquired around 1836 by missionary William Colenso in 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 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 either in India or Sri Lanka, as New Zealand had neither the bronze material nor the means to produce such an artefact. With the Indian maritime trade with Southeast Asia there is the distinct possibility this was its origin.
Polished Stone Tools
Julius von Haast (1822-1887) was a German-born New Zealand explorer, geologist, and founder of the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch. During his travels, he discovered polished stone tools in Westland.
First, in Bruce Bay, he found an adze below five metres of soil beneath 1000-year-old rimu trees. Gold miners, while digging nearly five metres deep for gold deposits, accidentally found a greyish sandstone chisel and a sharpening chisel close to each other.
Secondly, at Hunts Beach, he found a sandstone adze with a well-polished cutting edge six metres beneath an ancient forest.
Sandstone chisels and adzes were common tools used in constructing the extensive stone buildings in Southeast Asia.
Together, these artefacts illustrate a pattern of migration, trade, and shared technological practices that connect New Zealand’s earliest settlers to Southeast Asia. The evidence supports the view that New Zealand was part of a broader network of maritime movement and cultural interaction across the Asia-Pacific region, with Southeast Asian communities playing a pivotal role in shaping the origins and development of New Zealand’s first settlers.
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.
Key Takeaways
Non‑local materials and metal‑tool craftsmanship point north. The serpentine bird combines a stone source outside New Zealand with carving precision consistent with metal tools—features that align more closely with Southeast Asian (and nearby Asian) material traditions than with known East Polynesian toolkits.
The Tamil Bell indicates contact with Indian Ocean trade networks that ran through Southeast Asia. A bronze object with Tamil script implies manufacture in South Asia, and its presence in New Zealand is consistent with long-distance maritime movement via the well-established Bay of Bengal–Southeast Asia exchange routes.
Tool types echo Southeast Asian construction technologies. Deep-buried polished sandstone adzes and chisels resemble stone-working implements used in Southeast Asia’s major building traditions, suggesting shared technological practices—or the movement of people and objects—across the wider Asia–Pacific seaways.
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