One
of the school students excavating in O11 east (refer site map).
There is plenty of work to be done in the last few days of excavation.
The process of digging, sieving, interpreting, photographing and drawing
through Layer 5 continued today. There has been some discussion amongst
the directors about the nature of the stratigraphy as we approach the
bottom of the cultural deposits.
In O11 East, the stratigraphy towards the base of Layer 5 is different
from the other areas in that it consists entirely of umu or earth ovens.
At least seven of these circular semi-subterranean features have been
excavated so far.
Oven
features in the base of O11 East.
Each of them is filled with charcoal fragments and fire cracked rocks.
We interpret this as indicating that this part of the site was a cooking
area where cooking ovens were dug repeatedly over the course of the occupation.
We are not yet at the bottom of the layer. Over the next day and a half
there is at least 150-200mm to excavate until we reach the 'natural' crushed
shell and beach sand layer.
Seal
bones in the north end of O12.
In O12, the skeletal remains of a large sea mammal are in the process
of being excavated. This is of interest because this area has contained
the largest quantity of bones, which most likely represent food remains.
It is also of interest because sea mammal and moa bones are often found
together in early sites, before moa became extinct and sea mammal distributions
shrunk, primarily due to hunting by Maori. The 'natural' beach layer has
been encountered in parts of the area therefore little more cultural material
remains to be excavated in this area.
The
relationship of Andy's trench to the remainder of the excavation.
Meanwhile, in the trench extending eastwards (Andy's trench), Layer 5
was finally encountered at the western end of the trench. This appeared
as a soil with charcoal and broken shell about 1.5 metres below the surface.
The eastern edge of the site has not been clearly established, but it
appears to be about five to seven metres beyond the excavated areas.
The
trench east of the excavated areas, showing Layer 5 in the foreground.
Chris
(right) talking to Victor from Te Aitanga a Hauiti for Maori Television.
A news crew from Maori TV came to the site today and interviewed Rick
McGovern-Wilson, one of the directors, along with Anne McGuire and Victor
Walker from Te Aitanga a Hauiti. Among other visitors today were three
year nine students and a teacher from the local school who spent the morning
at the site and helped with excavating and sieving.
