Archaeology at Rotokura

When Mr D. Millar was excavating at Tahunanui in 1966, he was informed by Mr R. Tobin of a site at Cable Bay which had yielded artefacts and midden. This site, now known as Rotokura, was given immediate attention by the Archaeological Group of the Nelson Historical Society. There were two important reasons why Millar thought the site should be excavated. The first was that there had already been fossicking at the site and thus what was left of the site should be salvaged before further destruction occurred. The second reason is related to the overall concept of New Zealand prehistory and the artefacts which are known to have come from the site. New Zealand prehistory has been divided into Archaic and Classic Periods by various authors. Although more recently the idea of continuum, rather than of distinct periodization of New Zealand prehistory has gained favour, in academic circles at least, these terms are still used as description markers (for artefacts especially). The Archaic Maori has been termed the 'Moa Hunter'. Although the Maori did hunt the moa, it appears that it was not a dominant factor in the economic strategy of the early Maori in New Zealand. The Classic Maori is the Maori as Tasman, Cook and D'Urville observed the natives of New Zealand before extensive contact with the European.

One of the early problems which occupied New Zealand archaeologists was comprehending the transition from the Archaic to the Classic Maori. In one fossick hole at Rotokura, both Archaic and Classic Maori artefacts were found. It was therefore hoped that this site might enable prehistorians to document the transition period

This site is situated behind a boulder beach, next to a small lake (pond), after which it is named. A reference to the lake in the Nelson Evening Mail of 24/11/1949 reads:

page 7

"On the western side of what we call Schroders Mistake Cable Bay is a small lake, the waters of which from some peculiarity in the soil have a dull reddish hue, and for this reason the locality is known to the Maoris as Roto-kura or the Red Lake…"

Mr Jim Eyles has suggested to the author that a red moss (known locally as 'frog porridge'), which appears seasonally, may account for the name. Peart in his book Old Tasman Bay notes that not only was the whole of Cable Bay given the name Rotokura, but that it was also the name of a pa 'that formerly was placed where the boulder bank joins Pepin Is.'. His definition of the name was—'A red glow on the water—viz., a sunset' (p.125). The site discussed in this paper is not that marked on Peart's map (between pp.128 and 129).

Millar has described the site as follows:

"The surrounding topography—lagoon, boulder beach, and hillside—has had the effect of restricting the Maori inhabitants to a semi-flat area measuring approximately 35 yds long by 20 yds wide. This has reduced considerably the scatter of occupational residue and consequently the concentration of artefacts, midden refuse and for extremely difficult excavation in some areas of the structures has been considerable. To date approximately 550 sq. ft. of the site has been excavated and an impressive list of artefacts has been catalogued. The natural stratum consists mainly of beach boulders and this makes site."

(Millar, 1967:10)

Squares six feet by six feet were excavated by Millar, Eyles and six-teen other members of the Archaeological Group, including some school children. All bird, fish, dog, sea mammal and human bone was retained (though only after being put through large sieves). Shell samples were also taken

Before the work done by myself on the faunal material from Rotokura (Butts, n.d.), there had only been one publication relating to Rotokura. This was an article written by Millar and published in the Journal of the Nelson Historical Society 1967, entitled 'Recent Excavations in the Northern Part of the South Island'. In the article Millar outlined his initial impressions of the site. From the initial Archaic layer three genera of moa, fish, shellfish, birds, the Polynesian dog and the Polynesian rat were recovered. Bone and stone fishing lure shanks were well represented, as well as argil lite and greywacke adzes. Millar states that portions of finished adzes suggest it was more than an adze manufacturing centre. Because of the restricted nature of the site, not allowing for any great size in population, he suggests that "the site was occupied only seasonally, and that the main settlement existed somewhere else……" (1967:11). As the Archaic phase progresses, moa and seal bone diminish and subfossil^* moa bone is utilized more. The decline in moa bone is cited as a cause of certain changes in fish hook design page 8from one piece to composite fish hooks. The site did not, however, help to document the intermediate stage between Archaic and Classic.

The Classic phase is assigned to a period of invasions from the North Island. Adzes, generally argillite, are smaller (2B in Duff's classification). Whereas shellfish seemed to be of little importance in the Archaic phase, Millar perceived a greater importance for shellfish in the Classic phase, with a wide range of mudflat, sandy beach and rockshore species present. Birds also appeared to be present in greater numbers. European contact is presented in the top of the occupation by a clay pipe, nails, glass and some rusty pieces of an old iron 'go ashore' pot, of a type commonly used by sailing crews.