Environment and Archaeology in New Zealand

Abstract

This thesis deals mainly with central New Zealand. The writer's archaeological excavations are described in Appendices. Lists are prepared giving all archaeological radiocarbon dates on wood, charcoal, moa bones, human bones and marine shells, for New Zealand up to 1974. The dates are sorted according to material, and the dates and their standard errors corrected. A stratigraphic system based on soils and Loisels pumice and tied to the corrected radio carbon dates is set up for central New Zealand. Radiocarbon and stratigraphy provide dates for vegetation changes' Moahunter sites, cultivation sites, and for the artifact assemblages that are independently grouped as either Early or Late. Change from Early to Late is explained by cultural breakdown and an initial movement of culture from south to north, The sequence of events postulated is summarised in a Table at the end of the text.