The previous post Prehistoric revelations of a Manawatu flood made me curious about other signs of moa habitation in the Manawatu area. I came across an intriguing article in a 1908 newspaper which reports on a find of moa bones in Kimbolton, and the controversy the find created.
The question it raises is, were moa still roaming the densely forested hinterlands of the North Island even as Europeans were first arriving on these shores?
But let the discoverer of those bones tell the story. In a letter to the Feilding Star in July 1908, Mr Thomas A. Bryce, a farmer from Kiwitea (see: Kimbolton and surrounds – “putting the small man on the land”), wrote:
“What time has elapsed since the moa became extinct? (more…)
March 25, 2013
How a beach stroll can be a journey of archaeological discovery
Posted by envirohistorynz under commentary | Tags: archaeology, G.L. Adkin, Kapiti Coast, Maori, Peter Beckett, Raumati South, sand dunes, shellfish |Leave a Comment
A view of the beach at Raumati South, looking north-west towards Kapiti Island
Generally, when we go for a stroll on the beach, our gaze tends to fall towards the sea, rather than inland. But sometimes it pays to turn our gaze towards the dune landscape too, as dunes sometimes harbour treasure troves of environmental history – in the form of middens. (more…)
Share this:
Like this: