Archaeology is all about the discovery, recovery and interpretation of the surviving evidence of past human activity in its context in or above the ground.

Archaeological sites are distinguished from other heritage sites due to the fact that they tend to be the relics and ruins of our past. They may be on land, in water, or in the coastal marine area.

The Historic Places Act 1993 defines an archaeological site as a place associated with pre-1900 human activity, where there may be evidence relating to the history of New Zealand. A place associated with post-1900 human activity may be gazetted as an archaeological site under the Act.

There are a variety of archaeological sites in New Zealand. These are described in more detail in series of brochures published by the Historic Places Trust - click the links below to download a copy.

• Maori pa sites  are fortified places with banks and ditches. They are often found on cliffs, headlands or ridges
• Remains of cultivation areas and gardens can be seen in soils and in the form of lines or walls of loose stones or stone mounds (other types of site associated with cultivation and settlement include artificially levelled terraces, and pits for storing kumara)
• Middens  - these are ‘rubbish dumps’ that may contain shells, bones, artefacts, charcoal and sometimes oven stones. These can be Maori or European.
• Rock art sites which may contain paintings, drawings, carvings or engravings.

Archaeological Authorities: legal protection of archaeological sites

The Historic Places Act 1993 makes it unlawful for anyone to damage an archaeological site without prior authority from the NZHPT. If there is chance you may damage a site, you must apply to the NZHPT for permission to do so. Contact us for advice and information.

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Declaration: legal protection of post-1900 archaeological sites

Post-1900 archaeological sites such as World War I or II gun emplacements or 20th century industrial sites such as goldmining sites, whaling stations, and sawmills are not currently protected under the Historic Places Act, unless they have been declared (gazetted) by the Historic Places Trust as an archaeological site.

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Management and care of archaeological sites

The best way of caring for an archaeological site on a property depends on the type of site, local environment conditions and land use. If an area of land being developed is known to contain archaeological sites then ideally they should not be disturbed, if at all possible.

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Archaeological investigations

At any one time in New Zealand, there are as many as half a dozen archaeological excavations being undertaken. Approximately 95% of all the excavations undertaken are in response to a consent to modify or damage the sites, rather than for research purposes. Visit archaeological investigations, with live video feeds, images and daily diaries.

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Archaeological Guidelines series

The NZHPT has begun developing an archaeological Guidelines series to provide advice and assistance to the archaeological community, on a range of topics. They are not intended to be prescriptive, but to act as an information source for consultant archaeologists, and people potentially applying for archaeological authorities.

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Archaeological Templates

The NZHPT is developing a series of templates to assist in the production of archaeological assessments and other reports required as part of the authority process.

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Occasional papers in archaeology

The NZHPT holds a vast amount of information about the historic and cultural significance of heritage places including archaeological sites.  This series of occasional papers in archaeology complements the information available through the archaeological digital library, the archaeological guidelines series, and the Register.  They will be especially useful to those working with heritage resources.

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Archaeological digital library

The NZHPT holds an extensive collection of unpublished archaeological reports - resulting from site surveys, excavations, research programmes and archaeological authorities. There are over 4000 volumes dating from the early 1970s to the present in the collection.

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Archaeological glossary

All professions have their own "language", and archaeology is no exception. This is not intended to be an exhaustive glossary of archaeological terms, rather, it will give you an overview of the terminology particularly that used within this website.

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