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| New Zealand Archaeology |
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| Bibliographies of books and articles I have read while at Otago Universiyt |
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New Zealand Archaeology General Reading |
Brailsford, B. 1981. The Tattooed Land : The Southern Frontiers of the pa Maori. Bush Press.
In this book Barry Brailsford provides site photographs of many South Island pa as well as oral accounts of what happened at them. This book contains many informative site plans and explanations, photographs play a major role and augment the maps and text well. This book is good reading due to its concentration on southern pa sites which have not been well represented in books for the public.
Brailsford’s use of oral accounts makes for good reading and makes the sites “come alive” by putting actual people within them. Brailsford has referenced the book and includes a bibliography as well as notes on excavation seasons from 1974 to 1981. This allows the reader to see who participated on the “digs” he uses in the book. The book seems to fulfil the function of informing the general reader of notable sites as well as providing useful information on southern sites. The use of historical data gives it another angle and gives voice to those whose ancestors participated in various raids etc. If this bias is kept in mind then it is useful due to its many site photographs and southern focus.
Davidson, J.M. 1984. The Prehistory of New Zealand. Longman Paul.
This book is Janet Davidson’s attempt to discuss the development of Maori culture over a set of examples taken from all over New Zealand. The underlying theme of this book is the regional diversity facing prehistoric Maori and the way in which they adapted to particular challenges. Davidson questions the validity of earlier models that concentrated on artefact analysis and tended to polarise Maori culture into “Archaic” and “Classic”.
A history of the practical and theoretical development of New Zealand archaeology is discussed in Chapter One, in particular the move away from the “Great Fleet” legacy of Percy Smith and the “Moa Hunter” of Von Haast. Chapter Three discusses the land and climate and the subsequent regional variation that has been evident. This chapter is outdated due to new understandings of climatic fluctuations in particular El Nino. The environmental impact of prehistoric Maori was looked at as well but now needs to be updated to take account of later work by Matt McGlone. Davidson interprets this information in relation to the regional diversity of New Zealand’s climate and environment and the effect it would have on settlement. Material culture is the focus of Chapter Five and a detailed description of material culture from fishhooks to hair styles is attempted. This chapter provides a lot of information regarding material culture but it has flaws regarding assumptions about use and function of some items. Subsequent chapters look at subsistence and burial practices as well as social organisation. These are looked at in detail with reference to important sites. Many photographs are provided as well as site plans of various “digs”. The information recovered in important sites is discussed in a manner that is easy to read and this is one of the strengths of this book.
Overall, I think that Davidson succeeded in her goal to provided a synthesis of New Zealand’s prehistory. Despite problems with the chapter on environmental and human impact resulting from new information, and problems with identifying aspects of the material culture a good picture is given. Due to the amount of information given in this book it is still an excellent place to start for any person interested in New Zealand archaeology.
Fox, A. 1978. Prehistoric Maori Fortifications in the North Island of New Zealand. Longman Paul
This book grew out of English archaeologist Aileen Fox’s arrival in New Zealand for the MacMillan Brow lecture series. Fox’s interest in the British hill forts of the ancient Celts led her to comparisons with New Zealand Maori.
Over four chapters she discusses the early evidence of Maori Pa, site distribution, structures and planning within the Pa, as well as comparisons to British hill forts. A bibliography, acknowledgements, index and a glossary of Maori terms are included as well. Fox provides a good description of Les Groube’s three classes of Pa citing the need for a fourth (Swamp Pa). The defences and construction methods are explained in detail as well as a description of houses, storehouses, and cooking areas. The third chapter provides interpretations on the spatial use of a Pa and concepts such as Tapu and Noa that were described in ethnographic accounts. The form and function of sacred places as well as planning within a Pa are discussed in detail and compared with their British counterparts in Chapter Four.
Fox uses her in-depth knowledge of British hill forts and Maori Pa to draw comparisons with each other in relation to their use and situation. Similarities have been noted before by Sir Raymond Firth (1927), and fox bases her opinion that analogies can be drawn from the fact that: both Pa and hill forts are the result of similar tribal societies, both are on a variety of sites, regional environmental variation factors and similar site placement and the use of palisades.
While reading this book I felt that Fox was reaching a bit too far to compare distinctly different cultures. The information she has provided however is very interesting and is a good insight to the layout and use of a Pa. By comparing the two societies she has allowed us to see that the Pa building of Maori was a function of their society (chiefdom) in relation to pressures from both the environment and humans. This comparison allows us to step back and look at these sites with a perspective that is original and thought provoking.
Green, R.C. 1972. Moa Hunters, agriculture and changing analogies in New Zealand Prehistory. N.Z.A.A.N. 15 (1) :16-39.
In this article Green comments on the way New Zealand archaeologist have bee affected by outside influences such as American and European models. Green criticises the way that Von Haast has been derided for his application of European models to New Zealand despite the fact that eventually he did relent on some of his work. The work of Von Haast was greatly influenced by the writers in Europe at the time and he was certain of the validity of his arguments to the point of ignoring other evidence.
Green highlights the emergence of New Zealand archaeology in relation to new concepts from abroad and the way that sometimes unproven hypotheses have been turned into conclusions without proper investigation. He points out that Moa hunters have moved from Palaeolithic people to Neolithic changing further as models have been added and adapted and dropped as time and knowledge have allowed. Green’s way of looking at these changes brings to mind the fact that we cannot judge people such as Von Haast too quickly or by our own current standards, but to remember that knowledge and models are always being developed and fine-tuned.
Green, R.C. 1963. A review of the prehistoric sequence in the Auckland province. N.Z.A.A. Monograph 2.
In the introduction to this second edition of Green’s work B. F. Leach recalls the fact that it helped overturn entrenched views regarding the settlement of New Zealand. The book was first published in 1963 and again in 1970 during a developmental phase in New Zealand archaeology,
This book contains six chapters, a bibliography and various tables and maps. Green provides an account of New Zealand prehistory concentrating on the Auckland province, dividing New Zealand into twelve geographic regions. The concentration here is on the region called Iwitini and the development of Maori culture from an earlier Eastern Polynesian culture through several phases. These phases are: settlement, developmental, experimental, proto-Maori, classic, and early European. To distinguish between these phases Green moves from artefact analysis such as adzes to ecological, economic, structural and settlement patterns. Chapter Six is a later addition written after the 1966 A.N.Z.A.A.S. Congress and following critiques from other archaeologists as well as new information.
Green cites the increasing knowledge of the archaeology of the Auckland area and how the sites were used, as well as work with portable artefacts such as fishhooks that can provide sequential information. Also highlighted in this chapter is Green’s important recognition that many pits he thought were houses were in fact storage pits, this followed from later work done by such people as Groube (1965), Shawcross (1966), Bellwood (1969) and Davidson (1970).
The later dating of kumara domestication was found to be flawed by Golson (1965) and more likely to be earlier than later as thought. Green also points out that imposing an American settlement pattern model on New Zealand proved problematic as well as his misinterpretation of climatic sequences. Green stands by his work stating that despite problems that became apparent after later work, a classic and an archaic phase are possible to detect as well as regional variation within them. I feel that he was on the right track but with too many phases in the original work. The regional variation and the ability to “fit in” various artefacts from different sites to a phase posed problems that had to be further investigated. The idea of a model that allows for an explanation of regional and chronological variation was still being sought after by Davidson in 1984.
Anderson, A. J. 1983. When All the Moa -ovens Grew Cold. Otago Heritage Books, Dunedin.
Aimed at the general reader this rather small book contains a lot of information on the moa-hunters of Murihiku (southern South Island, New Zealand ). Divided into three periods (Early A.D. 900-1350, Middle A.D. 1350-1550, Late A.D. 1550-1800) the life of the southern Maori is discussed along with photographs of sites, excavations and artefacts. Anderson outlines the subsistence strategies of the southern Maori in relation to moa and seal hunting, fishing, and other seasonal activities over these three periods.
A discussion on the origins and habitats of Moa species and the way in which they were butchered and disposed of is presented. There are diagrams and maps showing the dispersal and range of moa-hunter sites in Murihiku and the cultural material found in them. The movement of some people due to seasonal subsistence strategies is looked at and the type of food taken is outlined and interpreted in order to show how they relied on and used their resources.
Fishing strategies are also explored in terms of pelagic and inshore fishing and also the types of equipment used for each distinct zone and type of fish. The use and manufacture of trolling lures and rotating hooks is explained using diagrams to show how they work and the species caught. Also discussed is how moa bone and stone were used to manufacture hooks and tools.
Anderson uses historical and ethnographic information from Stack, Beattie, Shortland etc, as well as Maori sources to provide a history of the later period and to accentuate the archaeological evidence from earlier periods. This makes interesting reading and provides a human context for the archaeological evidence of earlier times. All this information is presented in a form that is easy to read but provides a good basis for further reading, it is useful for a first year student or layperson who is looking for a starting point in understanding the archaeology of southern New Zealand Maori.
Anderson, A.J. 1998. The Welcome of Strangers; an ethno-history of southern Maori A.D. 1650-1850. University of Otago Press, Dunedin.
This book was commissioned by the Dunedin City Council to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Otago Association settlement of Otago and Southland. While more historical (it is an ethno-history) than archaeological it is of interest to archaeologists due to the range of information contained within. The traditional lifestyles, economics and warfare of southern Maori as well as population changes, are discussed with particular attention paid to the period and are dominated by Ngai Tahu Whanui.
The information is presented over twelve chapters ranging from Iwi origins and migrations to changes in Ngai Tahu society during the protohistoric period. Anderson has compiled information from a range of primary and secondary sources together with many maps, photographs, sketches, paintings and graphs. Famous (or infamous) personalities and events such as Te Rauparaha and the Kai Haunga feud are discussed in detail as are many of the places connected to them. The settlement patterns and economics of prehistoric Maori society are outlined with such places as Mahinga Kai and subsistence strategies discussed in detail. Anderson uses his access to various sources to bring together information that has not been correlated in one volume before; this makes it a well rounded look at the history of southern Maori in Te Wai Pounamu.
Any archaeologist that is interested in the archaeology of New Zealand will find a wide range of data, pictures that have been spread over several publications or held in collections are reprinted as well as sketches of personalities and leaders. Maps and diagrams follow the text to show population levels and migrations as well as places and people discussed. There is information regarding the whakapapa of Ngai Tahu and the places these people lived as well as events forgotten by many but not all. It is the narrative power of many of the stories from this book that make it of interest to the general public, and it is the wide range of raw data presented that makes it of interest to archaeologists. An index, notes, references and an extensive bibliography are included to assist with further reading.
Jones, K.L. 1994 Nga Tohuwhenua Mai Te Rangi: A New Zealand Archaeology in Aerial Photographs. Victoria University Press, Wellington.
In this book Kevin Jones compiles a selection of aerial photographs from his own flights between 1985 and 1992 as well as various other sources. The book has around 170 photographs, both black and white and colour taken from a plan perspective as well as at an oblique angle. There is textual information that explains the equipment and procedures used as well as an introduction to the practice of aerial photography and its use in archaeology.
The photographs were selected to show the range of sites in New Zealand and their relationship to the local environmental conditions. Mostly Maori, these sites include pa, horticultural and village sites. In some cases the photographs are presented with line drawings to help the reader to interpret the information which can be elusive to an inexperienced eye. The eighteen chapters include detailed descriptions and explanations of sites, eight regional overviews (7 Nth Isl.,1 Sth Isl ), and a discussion on aerial photography in New Zealand.
References, notes, photography credits and a glossary are included at the end of the book and these all help with further research by an interested reader. The text is extensive and informative and although this book is aimed at the general public there is enough information in the text to be of interest to both archaeologists and the layperson.
One of the most important things about this book is that it is a visual documentation of what can be found in the archaeology of New Zealand both historic and prehistoric. Although not all aerial photography or all sites in New Zealand are included there is a wide range of sites represented. The accessibility of the information in this book for a general reader may help overcome the idea that New Zealand is “ too young” to have any “real” archaeology. The type of photographs in this book often help archaeologists better understand the settlement patterns and site distribution patterns of a site on a much larger scale. Many of the photographs included in the book are available on the internet at Http://c14.sci.waikato.ac.nz/nzaa/aerial/opacs.html given the price of the book commented on by some (eg; Bulmer) this makes the information even more accessible to anyone interested in the wide range of archaeology in New Zealand.
Leach, H.M. 1984. 1,000 Years of Gardening in New Zealand. Reed.
This book looks at the history of gardening in New Zealand as well as its development in relation to the two main imported types: European and Polynesian. The development of the Polynesian gardening systems and the adaptation of these to New Zealand is looked at in detail during chapters Two, Three and Four. The development of the traditional English kitchen garden is explored in Chapter Five and the influence of each type of garden is covered as well.
A preface explaining the context in which the book was produced is followed by seven chapters of text, many hand drawn illustrations showing artefact use and photographs and maps. The text is written in an easy to read form which makes it both informative and enjoyable to read, a glossary of terms used in the book is provided as well as references, bibliography and an index.
Of particular interest are the chapters concerning the adaptation, transportation and change in Polynesian subsistence strategies brought to New Zealand. Chapter Two outlines the various techniques and cultigens used by Polynesians and their transportation and adaptation to the New Zealand environment. Chapter Three looks at the archaeological remains of pre-European gardening in New Zealand and how they have been interpreted. This chapter includes drawings and photographs of excavations and features that allow the reader to see the archaeological evidence used. The range of archaeological features and sites is outlined as well as the use of them, this is backed by the use of observations from previous ethnographers and historians. In Chapter Four Leach describes the changes, challenges, and practice of Maori gardeners as they adapted their techniques. The ways different cultigens reacted to stress and the way in which Maori exploited them is interesting reading as is the discussion on the material culture used by gardeners.
Chapter Five is a detailed exploration of the development of the English kitchen garden its uses and implications for New Zealand. This leads into Chapter Six which looks at the change that came after the two styles of gardening came into contact each other in the nineteenth century. This chapter shows that Maori and Pakeha gardeners both did not stop adopting new and improved strategies, borrowing both words and cultigens. The book concludes with a discussion on gardening in the twentieth century which still had sixteen years left at the time of writing.
Although Matt McGlone has since fine tuned his pollen analysis technique, and the ideas on the timing of first settlements that have been debated since 1984, this book is still very useful. In particular the chapters on Maori and Polynesian agriculture systems are full of information that range from plant types and names, to the archaeology of gardening in New Zealand.
Trotter, M.M. and McCulloch, B. 1989 Unearthing New Zealand. GP Books. Wellington.
This publication is intended for the general reader and is full of information regarding many aspects of archaeology in New Zealand. It is an account of the change of archaeological thinking in the past twenty five years in New Zealand. Previous hypotheses such as Percy Smith’s “great fleet” of A.D. 1350 and Haast’s “autochthones” are discussed and explained in a concise manner that imparts an understanding of the way in which New Zealand archaeology has developed.
The book begins with an introduction to the history of archaeology in New Zealand and it’s development from Mantell at Awamoa to historic logy in Auckland. The information is divided into three parts; origins of Maori, moa hunters to classic Maori, an |
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| Page Updated Tue Aug 3, 2004 4:26am EDT |
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