Journal of Pacific Archaeology

How Did changing climate in the tropical South Pacific contribute to the eastward migration and settlement of Polynesia?

2026-05-05T22:31:09+00:00

The migration of humans into the eastern Pacific was relatively rapid and focused around 900-1250 CE. Although the causes for this migration are varied, we put forward evidence to suggest that a change in the mean state of the tropical South Pacific from La Niña like to El Niño like conditions accompanied by an increase in climate “shocks” around the period of migration, could have created conditions to promote migration east into the Pacific. We use a range of sediment archives and hydroclimate proxies located in sites within the region of migration, to reconstruct climate conditions in the ‘sending’ islands, and ‘receiving’ archipelagos. Climate in the period immediately prior to the eastward migration was characterised by a drier southwest Pacific. During the period following settlement of the central region of eastern Polynesia, the mean climate state in receiving islands became wetter, with fewer climate “shocks”. Results from socio-hydrological models highlight the sensitivity of growing populations to droughts within a drying climate. Using these lines of evidence, we suggest that as populations grew, particularly in drought-sensitive islands, people with some knowledge of eastern “Gateway islands”, chose to move east, fortuitously at a time when wetter conditions supported their long-term settlement.

Otolith Stable Isotopes and Māori Archaeology

2026-03-16T14:51:06+00:00

Marine paleoclimate records for the last 1,000 years are scarce in the southwest Pacific, limiting our understanding of complex environmental changes that may have affected Māori seascapes and fisheries. We seek to begin filling this knowledge gap by studying stable oxygen (δ¹⁸O) and carbon (δ¹³C) isotopes in archaeological and modern otoliths from tāmure (Australasian snapper, Chrysophrys auratus), which provide information about water temperature, salinity, and fish diet and metabolism. Our results show that fourteenth and fifteenth century tāmure otoliths recorded environmental conditions that are comparable to twentieth century temperatures, with some evidence for anomalously warmer seas and/or higher precipitation during the fifteenth century. These findings are concordant with previous reconstructions of terrestrial climatic conditions in northern Aotearoa and of central west Pacific Ocean sea surface temperatures, providing additional evidence that Māori experienced a warm climatic period during their first centuries of habitation and fishing in the North Island.

Morphological variability and temporal patterning in Rurutuan domestic architecture: Rectangular and oval-ended stone structures of the Austral Islands

2026-04-13T17:04:43+00:00

This article questions how surface stone architecture and site proxemics can inform on the pre-contact use of house structures on Rurutu Island (Austral archipelago) and their relationship to residential social status and/or occupational specialization. After exploring available linguistic and ethnohistoric accounts to understand emic conceptions of Rurutuan houses, I turn to a survey of the archaeological data, using specific site characteristics, like house form, house size, and architectural elaboration, to understand Rurutuan house types in later prehistory, both at the island-wide scale and with a case study focusing on the Tehaumatea chiefly center in Vitaria. Results demonstrate that Rurutuan house architecture varies substantially, with both house form, size, and architectural elaboration signaling house function and site status. While both residential and specialized house forms have been identified, their specific associations with class types are still murky, as most sites heretofore studied are from elite contexts. In terms of chronological shifts in house form through time, there are hints that Rurutuan houses both get larger and their surface architecture becomes more elaborate. These shifts may be due to social factors, like the accumulation of power by diverse social personae (chiefs, warriors, priests, and perhaps craft specialists) and increased chiefly competition through time, although this proposition must be tested with additional fieldwork.

Minding the Gaps

2026-03-24T18:28:32+00:00

Addison and Matisoo-Smith (2010) challenged the widely accepted model regarding the settlement history of Polynesia, specifically the Lapita only origin of East Polynesia, and identified possible drivers for the resumption of the eastward expansion of Pacific peoples around 1500 BP. In the last 15 years, there have been some significant advances in our understanding of the events that have led to the biological, cultural and linguistic variation we currently see in the Pacific. Here we will review the evidence, particularly the genetic and genomic evidence, related to Pacific settlement history that has accumulated since the publication of Addison and Matisoo-Smith. We then fully investigate these genomic data to see if we are any closer to understanding and reconstructing Pacific settlement history, and to identify any gaps that still exist.

Editorial: Making the Journal of Pacific Archaeology open access

2025-12-02T15:27:59+00:00

The Scale, Nature, and Timing of Agricultural Adaptations in Upland Kaʻū

2026-02-10T13:53:19+00:00

Substantial changes in political and land organization occurred in Hawaiʻi in the last 200 years before European arrival. These changes are thought to have affected land access and management, with areas nearer centers of power being more heavily influenced. Less is known about the effects of these changes on outlying areas and those areas with substantial environmental diversity. We investigate this scenario here by examining remnants of the Kaʻū Field System located in the Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. We find evidence for local-scale agricultural management and the persistent use of houses through time. We also identify evidence of continued access to forest resources, even after formal agricultural infrastructure replaced a low-intensity agroforestry system. Our results speak to a high degree of autonomy in this section of the Kaʻū Field System, which contrasts with some parts of the Kona Field System and the center of the Leeward Kohala Field System.

Early Māori Settlement in Auckland CBD

2026-01-29T01:11:06+00:00

The Queen Street Gaol Site (R11/1559) excavation in 1987 was one of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s earliest large-scale archaeological investigations of a 19th-century colonial site. However, one of its significant findings related to much earlier Māori occupation along the Waihorotiu Stream. Despite over 40 years of work in Auckland, the site remains the only securely dated Māori site in the Auckland Central Business District. Redating samples from the site confirmed the likelihood of human presence in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland as early as AD1280. This discovery aligns with evidence from other early settlement sites around the Waitematā Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf. The Gaol site also provided evidence of Māori occupation in the AD1500s–1600s, including kō (digging stick), ketu (weeding stick), ochre, woven flax, and shell midden deposits which suggest an established community engaged in gardening and marine resource exploitation. These results offer insights into the landscape history of the Horotiu Valley, a topic that has received little attention despite the increasing number of excavations in the region. The redating of material from the Queen Street Gaol underscores its significance in debates over the timing and environmental impact of early Polynesian settlement in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Fluctuating local mobility from the end of the Pleistocene to the end of the Holocene on the north coast of New Guinea

2026-03-11T14:45:10+00:00

The Watinglo rockshelter provides an occupation record from the central north coast of New Guinea from 13 ka to the last few hundred years, with a hiatus in the later Holocene. Examination of the lithic artefacts from this sequence suggests that within a paradigm of technological continuity and local resource procurement, there were notable fluctuations in the use of particular materials and the intensity with which the site was used. This suggests a pattern of small range size and population fragmentation that may have contributed to the unparalleled linguistic diversity of the wider region.

Local isotopic ecologies matter in the Pacific: an example from Waya Island, Fiji

2026-03-03T18:32:42+00:00

The use of stable isotope analysis (SIA) has contributed significantly to our understanding of the diets of people who lived in Oceania in the past. While this work has relied extensively on Pacific-wide baselines, in this study, we demonstrate the importance of understanding local isotopic ecologies for the application of SIA to the interpretation of past human diets across the Pacific Islands. We expand on previous isotopic analysis from Waya Island, Fiji, by analysing additional human (n = 3) and faunal (n = 15) remains using δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N data from bone collagen. The analysed samples come from human and faunal individuals excavated from two different sites, Y2-25 “Olo” (2800-2400BP) and Y2-39 “Qaranicagi” (760-660 BP). We used a multispecies approach to SIA to capture aspects of the local isotope ecology of Waya Island, informing our interpretation of the human isotopic data. Through a re-analysis of previously published data alongside these new contributions, we demonstrate how intra-regional isotopic variation in marine environments may complicate the use of Pacific-wide baselines for understanding past human diets.

Locating the Pā Sites from Hartley Ferrar’s Geological Maps

2025-12-17T12:25:24+00:00

This paper explores the history of Hartley Ferrar’s early 20th-century geological maps to identify the location of Māori pā sites in Te Tai Tokerau Northland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Although in regular use, Ferrar’s maps represent an underexplored resource, revealing over 530 potential pā sites, including many not recorded in the national ArchSite database. The research leverages modern techniques such as georeferencing, manual digitisation, machine learning, and LiDAR analysis to locate sites and suggest possible locations for future surveys to identify unrecorded sites. It highlights the significance of combining historical cartographic data with advanced spatial technologies. The findings underscore the value of Ferrar and his team’s meticulous mapping and use of local informant knowledge for understanding the region’s cultural landscape, while also addressing challenges posed by landscape change, data quality, and evolving definitions of pā. The ongoing work contributes to heritage management, offering robust tools for site preservation and emphasising the need for continued field validation and collaboration with iwi and hapū. Ferrar’s legacy persists through the enduring relevance of his maps for archaeological and cultural research in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Microfossil analysis of sediments from Carpenters Gap 1 and 3 archaeological sites, Kimberley, Western Australia, provides evidence for processing cf. Dioscorea transversa and cf. Colocasia esculenta since c. 30,000-25,000 cal BP

2025-11-26T18:04:58+00:00

Previous palaeo-starch studies in Australia, almost all using stone tool analysis, have yielded a considerable body of information on Indigenous plant processing. Here we build on this work with starch analysis of 58 sedimentary samples from Carpenters Gap 1 and 3 rockshelters, Kimberley, Western Australia. Starch of two species native to the region, supported by calcium oxalate crystal and xylem evidence, was identified at both sites: cf. Dioscorea transversa (pencil yam) tuber, dated from 30,372-27,846 cal BP; and cf. Colocasia esculenta (taro) corm, dated from 26,202-25,143 cal BP. The taro material has not previously been reported in Australian archaeological contexts. We discuss other possible sources of this starch type that have similar, relatively tiny sized grains, showing several differentiating features of taro starch. Results show promise for isolating starch and associated material from archaeological sedimentary records in Australia, which can provide a complimentary line of evidence alongside stone tools. The presence of another microfossil type, euglenoid cysts, provides evidence for gathering wetland/aquatic resources.

“The material for boring the greenstone”: characterization and archaeological distribution of the Pahautane chert, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand

2025-08-11T15:12:15+00:00

The Pahautane chert, which occurs as isolated pockets within Oligocene bioclastic limestone on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand, was exploited by indigenous Māori communities over a period of at least 500 years. Thin-section petrography of samples from two localities reveals that the chert is composed predominantly of quartz (85-90% SiO₂) and calcite (10-15% CaCO₃) with common silicified fossil remains, mainly of benthic foraminifera and sponge spicules, but including a variety of other fauna. Wavelength-dispersive XRF analyses indicate a slightly higher silica content (91-95 weight % SiO₂), and very low concentrations of all other elements except calcium. The visually similar Gordon’s Valley chert in South Canterbury, some 260 km to the south, has an almost identical composition.

Examination of artefact collections at Canterbury Museum, and other records, shows the Pahautane chert was more widely dispersed than previously thought, and distributed along the western coast of the South Island over a total distance of at least 300 km. This distribution pattern reflects the use of well-established communication routes for the export of nephrite (pounamu) from the West Coast, probably beginning in the late 13th or early 14th century. On the West Coast, Pahautane chert was being used for drilling holes in nephrite up until the middle 1840s.

The geological occurrence and visual attributes of sedimentary and 'volcanic' cherts in northern New Zealand

2025-08-13T20:27:19+00:00

The northern part of the North Island of New Zealand includes numerous occurrences of chert, some of which are known to have been exploited by pre-European Māori. Most of the chert is of sedimentary origin, of Late Cretaceous-Eocene age, but Miocene ‘volcanic’ chert (i.e. jasper, sinter and silicified wood) is also common in places. To facilitate a better understanding of cherts in this region, and promote further research, the geological context and visual attributes of samples from 19 locations are described. Five different chert types are formally recognised. Visual examination of >160 samples show there is considerable overlap in the colour range of cherts from different localities, indicating that attribution of artefacts to specific sources based on colour alone is likely to be unreliable. However, a distinction between sedimentary and ‘volcanic’ cherts and sinters should be possible based upon the presence/absence of bioturbation, radiolaria and plant remains.

Geochemical evidence of cultural continuity in lithic procurement from the Late Pleistocene to recent Holocene at Nombe rockshelter, Highland Papua New Guinea

2025-09-22T14:14:00+00:00

Despite the central role of lithic analysis within Highland Papua New Guinean archaeology, geochemical characterisation studies are deeply underutilised in the region, especially where Pleistocene and informally flaked assemblages are concerned. This paper presents the geochemical characterisation of the flaked volcanic assemblage and an edge-ground axe from the stratified Nombe site in the Papua New Guinea highlands (25,500 cal BP – present), establishing continuous exploitation of the same raw material types throughout the entirety of the site’s occupation. Similar analysis of an excavated non-local jade (nephrite) artefact demonstrates down-the-line, long distance transport of stone sometime between 5600 and 0 cal BP. The geochemical analyses of the locally acquired igneous artefacts and the non-local jade axe-adze flake technological strategies continued during the region’s incorporation into broader social networks during the Holocene.

‘Hardy rascals of doubtful fame’ Historical perspectives upon sealers in southern New Zealand

2025-08-12T20:09:24+00:00

In paying tribute to the late Ian Smith this lecture takes up a theme arising from his interests in the exploitation of marine mammals and the early historical archaeology of southern New Zealand. The commercial sealing industry, about 1792-1830, is known from shipping and other historical records and to some extent from historical archaeology but the activities and experiences of sealers, as individuals and in their gangs, remain little known. At the same time, sealers as a class appear widely in the general historical literature where they are associated characteristically with primitive, barbaric or immoral behaviours both in New Zealand and elsewhere on the Tasman frontier. The questions at issue are whether observations of the sealers support the general description and how the latter arose. It is argued that inter-gang behaviour, skirmishing with Māori, sealer housing and diet and relationships with Māori women, do not fit the general description nor do sealers stand out in these respects from whalers or other European sojourners. It is suggested that the characterisation of New Zealand sealers owes much to the flow of opinion about sealers across the Tasman world and an historiography of social evolution.

The Archaeology of the Kapiti Coast

2025-10-08T19:33:29+00:00

Between 2013 and 2017 the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) constructed an 18 km expressway along the Kapiti Coast, north of Wellington, called the MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway. The project is abbreviated to M2PP. A large archaeological programme was undertaken during the construction earthworks. 233 new archaeological sites were recorded during the M2PP archaeological programme. The majority of these sites were shell middens. No evidence of gardening was revealed. The data showed that the physical environment was the primary factor in determining both the nature of archaeological sites present and their location. The physical environment of the Kapiti Coast underpinned the subsistence economy – the environment determined the resources and opportunities available to the people.

Rock Painting Traditions around Waigeo Island, Raja Ampat, West New Guinea

2025-09-15T13:45:35+00:00

Rock paintings around the western tip of New Guinea are extensive but poorly understood. This paper describes rock art around the northern Raja Ampat Islands, just off the coast of western New Guinea. Two main painting traditions are documented: a red pigment tradition and a white pigment tradition. Red paintings generally occur up to 10 m above the modern mean sea-level and are stylistically related to a larger painting complex around the Bomberai Peninsula of New Guinea and Misool Island. It is likely that these sites have been uplifted from their original position, and were produced during the Mid–Late Holocene when the marine high-stand was several metres above the present level. The white pigment tradition generally occurs just a few metres above present sea level and could have been produced from canoes within the past few hundred years. We suggest Raja Ampat Islanders were interconnected with a wider maritime community using red pigment in the Late Holocene, and a distinctive white painting style emerged locally within the past few hundred years. Further documentation of West New Guinea’s rock paintings is required to clarify whether coastal painting traditions strictly relate to the presence of Austronesian speaking groups (part of an Austronesian Painting Tradition) or whether the imagery reflects the interaction between multiple linguistic groups, including speakers of Austronesian and Non-Austronesian languages.

The green and the grey

2025-05-01T20:57:01+00:00

There are about 20 known sources of artefact-quality obsidian in New Zealand, of which around half were extensively exploited by pre-European Māori. The visual attributes of the obsidians are described, and a procedure for identifying the original source of artefact material is outlined. Several case studies are presented to illustrate different aspects of the sourcing method, including its reliability. These, along with other studies, indicate that although some obsidian can be attributed to sources with >90% accuracy, the success rate is dependent upon the ability of the analyst and the particular mix of sources represented in any assemblage. Overall, the use of visual attributes combined with limited chemical analysis is considered the most effective means of sourcing larger obsidian artefact assemblages.

Three Late 18th Century CE East Polynesian Sails in the British Museum Collected from New Zealand, Tahiti and Hawaii (or the Marquesas) Reveal Regional Adaptations in Sailing Technology

2025-05-25T21:25:53+00:00

Three unique sails in the British Museum provide valuable information about sailing technology and practice in the late 18th century, CE, and insights into early East Polynesian migration. The sails were collected from New Zealand, Tahiti, and the third most probably from Hawaii or the Marquesas. Tacking double canoes were used in the settlement of East Polynesia, in combination with the Oceanic spritsail, and the sails reveal different adaptations that match patterns of interaction and isolation among the island groups as indicated by the movement of industrial stone. The Māori and Hawaiian/Marquesan sails were furthest apart geographically but remained the most similar in the isolated margins of East Polynesia, and both adapted to an increase in paddling and downwind sailing. The Tahitian canoe, located in central East Polynesia, remained better adapted for ocean voyaging, and shared structural elements with West Polynesia, potentially through the Cooks Islands. The paper describes sail forms, examines selected early historical drawings to see how they were used in the late 18th century and uses methods of wind engineering to estimate their sailing performance. The paper finds evidence for adaptive variation and change between sails with shared ancestry.

Plant microfossils reveal human activity in and around Hawaiian Island fishponds, including introduced Polynesian and European multi-cropping

2025-04-22T16:16:30+00:00

Archaeological research of Hawaiian Island pre-contact fishponds is hindered by loss of many because of erosion, land reclamation, and urban development. Understanding early Hawaiian resource activity is hindered because, to date, plant macroremains are rarely reported. We use plant microfossil analysis in three fishponds, on Maui, Oʻahu, and Molokaʻi, to explore these archaeological features and build on previous studies. The results differentiate aquatic/marine and dryland environments, and provide direct evidence of indigenous and introduced cultigens, including Aleurites moluccana, Cocos nucifera, Colocasia esculenta, Pandanus tectorius, and Zea mays. The surviving ponds, many infilled with sediments, and their surrounds represent a sink of bio-archaeological evidence of Hawaiian aqua-agricultural activity.

Palaeoecological studies at four archaeological sites in the New Guinea Highlands document local vegetation histories and plant use from c. 18,000 cal BP to the recent past

2025-04-14T17:27:53+00:00

Plant microfossils at archaeological sites in the New Guinea Highlands have received little attention compared to lithic and faunal analyses. Here we analyse plant microfossils (pollen, charcoal particles, phytoliths, and starch) from three rockshelters (Yuku, Kiowa, and Manim) and one open site (Wañelek), dating from c. 18,000 cal BP. Pollen results show a diverse range of taxa, and record major as well as subtle changes in vegetation history, with complimentary phytolith results. Vegetation changes, especially Nothofagus spp. decline, were driven by post-LGM climatic warming and anthropogenic deforestation, respectively, yielding mixed Castanopsis-Lithocarpus lower montane forest, and secondary forest, disturbance taxa, and grasslands. Low charcoal counts and ground fern establishment suggest periods of limited use within some rockshelters. Subsistence plant remains include starch of cf. Castanopsis acuminatissima nuts and cf. Colocasia esculenta corms, and a leaf phytolith of Musa sp. A new type of aquatic archaeological marker, cf. euglenoid cysts, was also identified.

Editorial

2024-11-13T16:15:01+00:00

Microfossil starch provides the first evidence for introduced taro (Colocasia esculenta) on the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, commencing c. 1800 cal. BP

2025-04-08T20:09:55+00:00

Introduced taro (Colocasia esculenta) is assumed to have been ubiquitous in pre-contact societies across Oceania. However, there are few reports of direct, botanical evidence for its presence in Micronesia during this time. Here we report starch analysis of soil/sediment samples from Ebon Atoll in the Marshall Islands, eastern Micronesia. Starch grains, xylem cells, and calcium oxalate crystals of cf. taro were found at three sites, in habitation layers encompassing the period 1875-1715 cal. BP to 1060-920 cal. BP (95% CI). This study represents the first direct, botanical evidence for pre-European taro in the Marshall Islands, adding another archipelago to the scant list of such Micronesian sites, thus highlighting the importance of palaeo-ethnobotany in Micronesia.

New Zealand's own Pompeii?

2024-11-21T16:54:02+00:00

The Sunde site, at Pūharakeke on Motutapu Island, is one of New Zealand’s most remarkable archaeological sites. Evidence of Māori occupation is deeply buried beneath tephra erupted from the adjacent Rangitoto volcano around 1397 CE, and fossil footprints of people and their dogs are preserved in between the ash layers. The eruption was clearly witnessed by Māori but surprisingly, no traditional account of the event appears to exist. Archaeological excavations undertaken in 1963 and 1981-2 have been interpreted as providing evidence that a kāinga (settlement) existed at the site at the time of the eruption. Claims that the occupants survived the eruption, and engaged in gardening activities between ash showers, have also been made. A review of the site from a geoarchaeological perspective reveals inconsistencies with key aspects of these existing narratives, primarily due to misidentification of geological structures and natural deposits as archaeological features. These include soft sediment deformation structures associated with dewatering of the tephra, and two marine inundation deposits. One of these is a possible tsunami washover deposit dating from the early 14th century CE; the other appears to be associated with a significant storm surge event during the mid-16th century.

Spectacle and Concealment at Auckland’s Colonial Prisons

2024-04-21T18:48:05+00:00

Archaeological excavations at Queen Street Gaol and Mount Eden Prison in central Auckland, New Zealand revealed architectural and artefactual evidence shedding light on penal practices in the colony of New Zealand. The Queen Street Gaol, established in 1841 on the outskirts of the growing Auckland settlement, served as a showcase of the colony’s power, featuring public displays of punishment such as stocks and hangings. In the latter half of the 19th century, Mount Eden Prison was constructed to replace the outdated Queen Street Gaol, relocating it two kilometres away to the city’s periphery. Our analysis of the architectural and archaeological evidence shows how this shift hid the social punishment aspect, pushing criminals away from city life, but how it maintained a visually striking façade that advertised state-inflicted consequences. As the city expanded during the 20th century, Mount Eden Prison found itself surrounded by urban development, leading to the decommissioning of the Victorian-era radial prison and the construction of high-rise security units, which now camouflaged the penal function of these institutions. Our analysis demonstrates how the standing structures and sub-surface evidence at these sites reflect the changing attitudes towards social reform and the evolving landscape of punishment in Auckland.

Research Report: A new discovery from Māori archaeological sites on Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand reveals a widely distributed, commensal dog parasite

2024-02-22T16:46:23+00:00

Here we present helminthological analysis of archaeological substrates and coprolites from Coromandel Peninsula. One type of helminth egg, Toxocara canis, was identified. The presence of a single species in numerous samples across widely separate sites suggests it was the most common New Zealand canine helminth parasite in pre-contact times. The distinctive morphology of T. canis eggs makes them readily identified in archaeological contexts, and more so once damaged or degraded eggs are learnt to be identified. The study illustrates the potential value of this type of analysis in Oceania. This is the first multi-site, regional archaeoparasite egg study in Oceania.

A plant microfossil and parasite record from Taranaki, New Zealand reveals Māori translocations and intestinal parasites

2023-12-14T14:32:48+00:00

The study of Māori agriculture in New Zealand has been hindered by lack of direct evidence, i.e., plant remains. While combined microfossil (pollen, phytoliths, and starch) studies are showing promise, many regions, including the North Island’s west coast, have received little attention. Here we address these hindrances with microfossil analysis of archaeological substrates at Pohokura in one such region, Taranaki, to shed light on local Māori activity. Results are similar to previous pre-contact studies from other regions, showing large scale landscape disturbance by people, gastrointestinal parasites, and agricultural activity with the discovery of remains of the Māori introduced cultigens cf. Colocasia esculenta, Cordyline cf. fruticosa, and cf. Ipomoea batatas. Given the highly variable production and preservation of different plant and animal tissues, the study also illustrates the value of combining the three different types of analyses for the study of ancient human activity. The addition of parasitological analysis, in this case identifying eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides and Toxocara canis, parasites that would have adversely affected local people and their dogs, extends the combined approach to the realm of helminthiasis. Assuming dating correlation is correct, this represents the first firm report of pre-European A. lumbricoides eggs in Oceania.

Plant Microfossils and Parasites from Palliser Bay Stone Garden Systems, New Zealand, Reveal Māori Translocations and Helminthiasis

2023-11-08T17:26:18+00:00

The study of Māori agriculture, including almost all the numerous Māori stone garden sites recorded in both the North and South Islands, has been hindered by lack of evidence in the form of plant remains. Here we address this with pollen, phytolith, and starch analyses of 22 archaeological soil samples across a 14 km range, with an additional sample from 11 km distant, from Palliser Bay in the southern North Island. Results show evidence of premodern Māori translocations, comprising cf. Ipomoea batatas, cf. Colocasia esculenta, and cf. Cordyline fruticosa, to date the southernmost New Zealand report for the latter two. The presence of cf. I. batatas and cf. C. esculenta starch remains in relatively large amounts in almost all samples and small amounts in fewer samples, respectively, suggests that the latter was more of a minor crop in Palliser Bay. Samples also contained eggs of Dipylidium caninum and Toxocara canis, parasites of the introduced kurī dog (Canis familiaris), which could have adversely affected local people and their dogs. The plant evidence supports the view that the southern extent of Māori cultivation of introduced warmer climate crops in temperate New Zealand was variably, progressively limited by length of growing season requirements.

Greywacke gravels and adze manufacture in the inland Taranaki area, North Island, New Zealand

2023-08-30T13:21:32+00:00

Stone adzes (toki) made from greywacke are a characteristic feature of late ‘Classic Maori’ material culture in Aotearoa/New Zealand, particularly in the North Island, but despite the widespread natural distribution of this sedimentary rock type few archaeological source sites have been identified. The pre-European production of adzes from alluvial greywacke-dominated gravels in the inland Taranaki area, south-western North Island, was first reported in 1971. We present new information on the nature, extent, and composition of these gravels, on the geochemistry of the greywacke, and on adzes previously collected from the area. X-ray fluorescence analyses of greywacke cobbles indicates they originated from at least two of New Zealand’s Permian to Early Cretaceous tectonostratigraphic ‘basement’ terranes, which has implications for the future sourcing of greywacke adzes from Taranaki and elsewhere.

Experimental Kūmara Gardens at Whatarangi, Palliser Bay and Robin Hood Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand: Results after 23 Years

2023-08-29T16:28:49+00:00

Two experimental gardens of kūmara (Ipomoea batatas), one on each side of Cook Strait, were planted and harvested without fertiliser for a period of 14 and 23 years respectively. The mean annual yield for the garden on the north side of Cook Strait was 10.2 tonne/ha and 7.5 tonne/ha for the southern garden. More than 90% of tubers harvested weigh less than 100g. Yields fluctuated considerably, but did not decline over time. We monitored rainfall, sunshine hours, air and soil temperatures, and several soil chemical characteristics. Some correlations with yield were found, but do not account for the high degree of variation in annual yield. Between plant variation in yield was a similar order of magnitude as annual variation. No correlation was found between seed size and individual plant yield. Several soil nutrients decline significantly over time. Conversely, phosphorus consistently rises over time in both gardens, starting about 10mg/L and rising to c.50 mg/L after 12 years. This is attributed to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) around the root system of kūmara. A minor sub-project with taro, Colocasia esculenta, shows success on both sides of Cook Strait. Results from the research were modeled to estimate pre-European population size in Palliser Bay