MAORI CATACOMBS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 1349, 11 June 1907, Page 3

MAORI CATACOMBS.

THE CAVES AT ONE-TREE HILL.

REFUSE FROM CANNIBAL

FEASTS.

The recently opened cave at One-tree Hill adds one more link to the chain of interest encircling this celebrated spot, remarks the Auckland Herald. Maungakiekie, as One-tree Hill was named by the Maoris, was, as, is well known, a great Maori stronghold * dominating the fair fat lands of /,'Tamaki(pf a hundred lovers.". Ttoe-iieavy deposits of shells indicating great feasts, the kap i Maoris, or cooking ovens, and man. 7 other features of the volcanic cave show that at one time it must have been a comparatively thickly populated place ; but the cave just opened demonstrate 3 pretty clearly, that shell-fish was not the only animal food eaten at Maungakiekie, for here, in this one cave, is to be seen a great pile of human bones, skulls, thigh bones, ribs, arm bones, shoulder blades, and vertebra, all mixed up indiscriminately, just shot down in one great conical heap, aj3 though the cave had been used as a dumping place from time to time as required. Many of tho skulls are broken — not parted at tie natural division — and some of the limb bones have been brqken, as if to extract the marrow. A merely cursory glance at the ghastly heap is insufficient for unscientific persons to be able to say with certainty whether the bones had been stripped of their flesh before being put into,, the cave, or whether whole bodies had been dropped down its fun-nel-shaped mouth into darkness and oblivion ; but it is not improbable thr.t these bones belonged to Maori victims taken in battle and slaughtered for culinary purposes. Most of the bones are extremely friable^ powdering at the touch, be it never so slight. Beneath those on the surface is a compact mass of yellowish-brown earthy matter, to which, the bones have crumbled under the influences of the damp' and age. Kneaded in the palm of the hand, small pieces of bone become, plastic like clay.

Mr C. Bagley, chairman of the Onetree Hill Domain Board, who has been instrumental in bringing these hidden things to light, opines that the bones of thousands of people must have been deposited in this cave. They do not appear to be so numerous as Mr Bagley thinks, but he has spent much time in investigation.

Yesterday afternoon Professor A. P. W. Thomas, of the University College, spent some time in the cave, which, apart from its historical and anthropological interest, possesses features appealing to geological students., Mr T. F. Cheeseman, curator of the Auckland Museum, also visited the caye yesterday. Dr. Scott, who was particularly interested from an osteological point of view, was also there, together with som 3 other gentlemen. Dr. Scott critically examined the skulls, and found in many of them teeth in splendid condition, bub in most cases the molars were much worn down. No children's skulls were found, but some were of men comparatively young, say, from 40 to 50. Some of the limb and other bones showed thai; their owners, when in the flesh, wero above normal stature, three or four inches over six feet.

There are three chambers in the cave. The entrance is very narrow, and of bottle-neck shape, which fact is mentioned for the information of persons of some amplitude of figure. Then there comes a fairly spacious oval chamber, of* say, 15ft. to 20ft. in length; next a

chamber approached- by a wide ledge, which slopes to a round hole, about 3ft. 6in. in diameter, leading to a low-ceiled chamber, in which it is only possible to squat down on the haunches. This h in reality a volcanic blister or burst bubble, for the rock is, of course, all lava. Here it may have eddied, as it flowed from Maungakiekie when tho hill was active. The ring of the floor in the lower chamber would seem to indicate yet other vacancies beneath ; but at present this is the limit of exploration. Mf Bagley says it is more than likely that there are similar caves at Onetree Hill, and the surface indications support his view. Human bones have been found in the locality of the rock masses, where the cave under notice is situated, and some of the bones Were calcined.

The One-tree Hill Domain Board will keep the newly-discovered cave closed for the present; but it is intended tb tap it, if possible, by a tunnel from tho. level, near No. 3 hole of the golf links, about two chains from the cave mouth. The depth of the cave from the surface of the ground to the lower chamber 13 about 60ft.