Archaeological Sites

Legal Protection of Archaeological Sites Management and Care of Archaeological Sites Archaeological Investigations Cook's Cove Dunedin corduroy track Kawatiri Omata Gisborne Pilot Project Archaeology Brochures Archaeological Guidelines Archaeological Reports Digital Library

^ Back to Day 12

Kawatiri, Westport - Day 13

4 March 2008

The excavation teams started to close down their individual units today as they completed the drawing of the features at the base of Layer 2. At this point we are beginning to think more about how this season's excavation contributes to the bigger picture of early Kawatiri prehistory and, in particular, how it relates to information gained in previous years.

This 4 x 4 m excavation area was opened in 2005. It encloses a narrow (3 x 1.5 m) excavation area that was opened the previous year. The large area was opened in order to explore some features first exposed in 2004. The photo illustrates the way in which archaeologists retain and use the same excavation grid over many field seasons in order to relate finds from different field seasons. Photo: Otago University

Kawatiri is unusual because the site has been excavated over several years, with each year's work adding constructively to that of the previous ones.

One of the keys to doing this effectively is to maintain a single grid on the site so that all features found in any one year can be related to all others in the site.

The 2008 excavation probably will be the final year at Kawatiri and the areas excavated this year round out a four year programme of research.

The way in which the work of any one year informs and defines the research in the subsequent year can be seen in the accompanying photos.

This photo was taken in 2004 and shows a narrow trench that was excavated through a dense midden area. This trench was relocated this year and an excavation area mapped out that would allow us to investigate some of the features that were first exposed here in 2004. Photo: Otago University

In 2004, a hydraulic excavator working in the southern part of the site exposed a dense concentration of midden and charcoal. To explore this material, a small test trench was dug to reveal the extent of the deposit. Unfortunately (and as should have been expected) the trench raised more questions than it answered.

It exposed moa bone and fire features but it also cut into a deep, square sided pit that we cannot fully explain. Such features are unusual and not clearly understood in the early period of New Zealand prehistory. This area remained a mystery until this year when we were able to locate our southern most excavation area over the 2004 test trench to explore the pit and moa bone feature found in 2004.

Another example of how one field season follows another is seen in the work carried out in the eastern area of the site (not excavated this season). In 2004 we excavated a number of small test pits in the east of the site to find out if there was any intact cultural material in that part of the land.

This is a small excavation from 2004 showing some post holes in the west baulk. The discovery of these features encouraged us to open more areas in this part of the site in 2005 in order to identify any structures in the vicinity. Photo: Otago University

These excavations revealed well defined post holes in the section of one of our pits and so we expanded the excavation in that area in 2005 to see if we could identify any structural foundations.

These continual expansions on previous excavations allow us to build up a more detailed picture of a site - and thus contribute more meaningful information on New Zealand's past - than would be possible in a single season of work.

The 2008 excavation areas were chosen based on spatial data from the fluxgate gradiometer instead of the previous test pit method, in exception of the far southern area. It has been successful in helping us understand the spatial relation of features and cultural material.

^ Go to Day 14

GLOSSARY   Archaeological terminology Like any profession, archaeology comes with its own "language". This glossary helps with less familiar terms, particularly those used on this site. >> Read more

For questions about the Kawatiri excavation, contact archaeology@historic.org.nz