A LINK WITH THE PAST.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144147, 17 July 1913, Page 7

A LINK WITH THE PAST.

RELICS OF CANNIBAL DAYS. While visiting Mokau last week, says the Manawatu Times, Mr. R. M'Nab came across an ancient Maori oven, which, it will be remembered, the Forestry Commission reported finding. It os situated on a sandy pit near the Mokau River. The oven had undoubtedly been used by the Maoris for cooking human bodies. Round about were a number of human bones. Some of these bones Mr. M'Nab has brought with him fur the Palmerston Museum. They are all marrow bones, and are fractured in the centre, the object of the cannibals having been to extract the marrow. An old Maori custom was to heat the stoves, and cover over the bodies to steam them, and samples of the stones used in the oven are with the other relics which Mr. M'Nab intends to deposit at the Palmerston Museum. They will constitute an extremely valuable addition.