Unusual greenstone find

Press, 14 March 1984, Page 12

Unusual greenstone find

PA Palmerston North A chip of greenstone found with burned moa

bones near the Rangitikei River could help in understanding New Zealand’s prehistory. It is one of the few sites known in New Zealand dating back to 1300 A.D. to 1400 A.D., according to the curator of the Manawatu Museum, Mr Richard Cassels. “It is a key archaeological site for the region and also of national interest,” he said. The site was already known to the landowner but its significance was not recognised until the museum’s survey team investigated.

Dale Bailey and Jadwiga Kozyniak found burnt moa bones in the midden, indi-

cating that it belonged to the early prehistoric period 1000 A.D. to 1500 A.D. An intensive search yielded evidence of the manufacture of fish hooks from moa bones, pieces of adzes made from D’Urville Island argillite, a highly prized adze stone widely traded in the early period of New Zealand prehistory, and the complete jaw of a Maori dog.

However, the find that adds intrigue to the site is a small chip of greenstone. It was widely used in the later prehistoric period (1500 A.D. to 1800 A.D.) so to find it with moa bones is unusual. Mr Cassels said that the association of moa bones and greenstone suggested

that the site dates to about 1300 A.D. to 1400 A.D. “At this stage a generalised east Polynesian culture was developing into a specialised New Zealand Polynesian culture,” he said. “Only a few sites have been found that belong to this period. The Rangitikei site looks as though it will be one of them — a key in our understanding of New Zealand prehistory.” There are no plans to excavate. Mr Cassels said there was no immediate threat to the site and the landowner was keen to protect it.

“We will keep our eye on the site, which looms large in the museum’s plans for future archaeological work in the area,” he said.