Excavations at Anapai

The Anapai site is situated on the West Coast of Tasman Bay in the area controlled by the Abel Tasman National Park Board. This Archaic site comprises a small midden fronting on to the beach at present being eroded at times by the sea. Large quantities of waste argillite flakes are common, indicating considerable adze manufacture and the common occurrence of chips from completed adzes would indicate wood working on the site. The stratum is essentially granite sand and in places the occupation layer is up to four feet thick. In the lower levels of the occupation the bones of the small Northern Bush Moa, Anomalopteryx didiformis) occur, while the rest of the midden material is comprised mainly of seal, rocky shore shellfish and bones of various bush and shore birds. Fragments of bone of the Polynesian Dog (Canis familiaris) are present and it is interesting to note the occurrence of an undescribed kaka also. Mr. Ron Scarlett of the Canterbury Museum has identified this undescribed species from some other sites as well. Artifacts were not common during the execavation but the presence of typical Moa-hunter adze fragments, a typical Moa-hunter one piece fish hook and the association of moa bones with human occupation, definitely established this site as being Archaic Maori. Insufficient material was obtained for carbon dating but indications are that the site would probably be late Archaic.