Moa-hunter site dug up in Redcliffs rebuild
A Moa-hunter site in Redcliffs was damaged by unauthorised excavations when a quake-damaged house was replaced.
The rebuild has led to prosecutions under the Historic Places Act and the Crimes Act for Arrow International (NZ) Ltd and Mike Greer Homes Canterbury Ltd (formerly Mike Greer Homes Ltd).
They both pleaded guilty in the Christchurch District Court today to charges of causing an archaeological site to be damaged or modified without authority.
The site is at 25 Main Road, Redcliffs. Heritage New Zealand told the court: “The Redcliffs main Moa-hunter side is a very well-known early Moa-hunter period site. It extends across the north-western part of Redcliffs, including a number of private properties. It was first recorded as an archaeological site in 1965.”
The site has played a crucial role in developing ideas about the origins of Maori culture and the relationship between Moa-hunters and classical Maori. It dates to about the mid-14th to early 15th centuries.
The house was damaged in the February 2011 earthquake and demolished. Southern Response selected Mike Greer Homes to build a new house on the site. Arrow was acting as project manager and Mike Greer Homes was contracted to undertake the build.
On October 1, 2012, Heritage New Zealand told Arrow that the property was of interest.
Arrow emailed Te Ngai Tuahuriri Runanga to complete an archaeological authority application and this was filled in and returned.
In July 2013, the owner of the property signed an application but it was never submitted to Heritage New Zealand, and never processed.
On September 5, 2013, Heritage New Zealand told Mike Greer Homes that an archaeological authority was required for earthworks at the property. The property owner told the company that they had already signed the application and passed it on to Arrow.
Excavations began on October 21, 2013. Mike Greer Homes cut through previously unexcavated ground and through a charcoal rich cultural layer containing shell, bone and fire-cracked rock.
The work was reported by an archaeologist to Heritage New Zealand in December, and they asked contractors to stop.
Representatives visited the site next day. “Scatter of shell midden was observed around the perimeter of the build. A potential dog bone was also discovered.”
“Based on the findings from the less intrusive excavations on the neighbouring property and the test trenches it is certain that the excavations, which extend over an area of at least 215 sq m – the footprint of the new dwelling – have affected archaeological remains.”
Arrow acknowledged that there seemed to have been confusion between Mike Greer Homes and Arrow as to who should have contacted Arrow’s consulting archaeologist. Mike Greer Homes stated, “We had assumed all was in place.”
If authority had been sought, there would have been a requirement for close archaeological monitoring of any earthworks to minimise damage, and any deposits discovered would have been “thoroughly analysed to contribute to the nation’s historical record”.
Heritage New Zealand said: “Trying to analyse a pile of archaeology-rich spoil is largely pointless, because it is the context in which the material is located – layering, relative positioning – that can reveal so much of our past to the trained eye.”
No convictions have been entered, and Arrow may seek a discharge without conviction at the sentencing session for both organisations which Judge Eddie Paul set for January 22.
Category: Focus
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Connect
Connect with us via: