OLD MAORI SKULLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22434, 2 June 1936, Page 10

OLD MAORI SKULLS

FOUND IN QUARRY

HIDDEN AMONG ROCKS \ PRESENTATION TO MUSEUM A few skulls and a number of human bones, believed to be of Maori origin, were found on Saturday by workmen in the quarry of Pascoe's, Limited, in Gillies Avenue. They were found jammed in a crevice completely concealed by some immense pieces of rock and .stone.

Men were working at tho top of a rock face using crowbars to lover away stono for the quarry crusher, and on one piece of stono of over a ton in weight being freed tho bones and a number of skulls were found. They wero recovered by tho men and placed in a heap, but when a treo at the top of tho quarry was foiled it landed across the heap, smashing a number of tho skulls and bones.

There is some speculation as to how the relics came to bo so concealed, as the rocks above them could not at any timo havo been moved. Ono opinion expressed is that tho bones wero pushed down tho cracks bdtweoi? tho rocks, which was held to bo ono of tho old Maori customs. About this locality, however, quite a number of old Maori relics havo been found, and there are few of the older residents who have not got greenstone axes and other specimens which they havo dug up in excavating their sections. Of particular interest is a distinct line which runs across the top of ono of the skulls which was not broken by tho fall of the tree. This is thought to be some identification, mark and it is hoped, upon investigations being made, to connect it with somo definite period. Tho skulls and bones are to be presented to tho Auckland War Memorial Museum.