Discoveries include shell fish hooks and moa bones.
Ovens
in the east wall of O11 west - base of Layer 3 and cut into Layer
5.
We were joined on site today with various members of the public for the
site's open day. This included the Gisborne Branch Committee of the Historic
Places Trust who are joint funders of the Cooks Cove project. Visitors
were shown around the site by Chris Jacomb who explained the sites stratigraphy
as well as artefact types excavated from the site.
Moa
tarsometarsus (lower leg bone) at base of layer 5, O12, square E
(refer site map).
Work continued on the lower cultural layer (Layer 5) within each excavation
area. In area O12, the moa tarsometarsus, revealed yesterday was removed
allowing the area to be taken down another spit.
Spits were also removed from both O11 areas revealing few substantial
artefacts however, in some places the natural soil has been uncovered
which may provide a clearer view of posthole and oven features.
Left:
Post holes (light circles) in Layer 5, O11 east (refer to site map).
Right: Large obsidian blade in Layer 5, O11 west (refer to site
map).
The augering team continued attempting to define the site. The possible
presence of cultural material on the sites eastern hillside lead to a
1 x 10 metre trench being excavated. It was hoped this would reveal the
presence of a terracing or evidence of cultural activity however, early
results don't appear promising. The trench will be continued tomorrow
to gain a complete profile of the site and we hope all that digging wasn't
for nothing.
