The Year that Was: New Zealand Archaeology in 2018

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Kia ora,

In December 2017 I wrote a post looking back at some of the highlights of that year in New Zealand archaeology. In that earlier post I noted that the archaeological record in New Zealand was something that often people in New Zealand were either not aware of, or tended to dismiss the importance of (despite it presenting unique opportunities on a global scale). "Real" archaeology is often perceived as something done overseas and not here in our little country in the corner of the South Pacific.

A little later than last time, but with 2019 still in its infancy, here is a look back at some of the very "real" highlights of 2018 in New Zealand archaeology (in no particular order):

 
Significant piece of early European history unearthed in Wellington 

Back in January 2018, OneNews reported on the discovery of significant infrastructure from the early European colonial period during the Lombard Laneway upgrade in Central Wellington, including the remains of a fort that was built during the NZ Land Wars to protect buildings situated along the city's original shoreline. Another archaeological discovery during the Lombard Laneway upgrade project - a section of a drain laid prior to 1850, some of the city's earliest known infrastructure - was included as one of my 2017 highlights. 


Northland bay confirmed as one of oldest human settlements in NZ
 
An archaeological site on Moturua Island in the Bay of Islands in northern New Zealand was confirmed as one of the earliest reliably dated archaeological sites in the country (with radiocarbon dates showing people were there during the 14th century). Moturua Island is also significant in New Zealand history for its associations with early European explorers James Cook and Marion du Fresne, and further excavations at the site are underway as I write this thanks to a grant received from the NZ Lottery Grants Board's Tuia-Encounters 250 Programme, marking the 250th anniversary of Cook's first landfall in New Zealand in 1769.

It was also reported this past year that another site from the same time period had been discovered during the redevelopment of a Gisborne port: Archaeologists uncover Maori village dating back to 14th century in Gisborne - 'A really important period of New Zealand history'


DNA in fossil bone fragments reveals NZ's lost world
 
As I have mentioned in a previous post, the identification and quantification of species present in faunal assemblages from archaeological sites provides data that can inform our understanding of the food procurement (hunting/fishing/collecting) strategies of the site occupants, as well as local biodiversity and the nature of the surrounding environment when the site was occupied. Unfortunately, however, the majority of archaeological faunal material is typically far too highly fragmented to identify using traditional morphological indicators of species. In one of the more exciting discoveries of 2018 from a methodological perspective, researchers successfully characterized DNA preserved in fragmented unidentifiable bone from across New Zealand (natural deposits predating human arrival and archaeological middens), casting light on New Zealand's pre-human biodiversity, highlighting the impact of early Polynesians on that biodiversity and adding detail to our understanding of their diet.


150-year-old ship unearthed near entrance to Kaipara Harbour
 
In May, the remarkably well-preserved wreck of the Daring, a 17m long New Zealand built schooner wrecked in 1865, was exposed at the entrance to Kaipara Harbour, near Auckland. Unfortunately, the exposure of the wreck left this significant piece of NZ's maritime history vulnerable to deterioration from exposure to the elements and fossicking and in December the Daring was successfully uplifted in one piece and taken to a temporary location for conservation work to begin. For those wanting to make a contribution, a givealittle page has been set up to raise funds for this work. 

Here's hoping for more fascinating discoveries in 2019!
  

Thanks for reading, 
Nick 






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