T A N E 24, 1978

SOME ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES FROM FAREWELL SPIT, NELSON

by A.A. Court 60 Campbell Rd , One Tree H i l l , Auckland 6

SUMMARY

Seven archaeological sites (middens, living sites, pits) and two historic sites (ship wrecks) from Farewell Spit are recorded for the first time, and twelve previously recorded archaeological sites (middens, living sites, pits, terrace, pa and a rock shelter) are re-examined.

INTRODUCTION

Archaeological site recording work was undertaken during the Auckland University Field Club's scientific trip to Farewell Spit, north-western South Island, in May 1977. Site records have been lodged with both the Nelson District File and the Central File of the New Zealand Archaeological Association. The main aim was to provide a complete coverage of sites from the base of the Spit to a point approximately 12 km into the Farewell Spit Wildlife Reserve.

PREVIOUS WORK

There have been several previous investigations into prehistoric activities in this area. A one day excursion was made from Pakawau to the base of the Spit on 26 May, 1846 by Charles Heaphy, the earliest recorded European visitor (Taylor 1959, p.202). The Maori, he wrote in his journal, were reputed to portage their canoes across the base of the Spit when voyaging to or from the West Coast. He also reported that the Cape Farewell area was noted by them as an important source of chewing pitch (pakeke) found on the beach shore (Taylor 1959,p.207).

In December 1934, as archaeologist from the Otago Museum, David Teviotdale spent four days in the area. His journals reveal that he "worked over" several large middens along the sea front of Triangle Valley and went as far as the "first ponds up Farewell Spit". He found several adzes and flake tools and noted a midden on Abel Head. The landowner then had "a very nice collection of adzes" (Teviotdale 1934).

More systematic work began in the last decade. D. Millar, J.R. Eyles and members of the Nelson Archaeological Group spent time in the Puponga area in May, 1966. The pa site on Abel Head, S l /2 , was recorded and a rock shelter site, S l /5 , was excavated. This work was followed up by A.S. Bagley from the Nelson Provincial Museum, who carried out a site survey of the Lands and Survey

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Fig. 1: Map showing location of archaeological sites and area covered on Farewell Spit, May 1977.

Department Farm, Triangle Valley, Puponga, during February, 1975 for the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Nelson. He located twelve sites in this area including Sl/2 and Sl/5 recorded by D. Millar etui, in 1966.

METHODS

The survey area, covered as completely as possible on foot, is the area north of Puponga Farm to aline joining Sl/20 and Sl /21, G.R. 300210-300222 (Fig. 1). Each site identified was accurately positioned on the NZMS 1, Sheet SI and S3 Collingwood and Farewell, 3rd Edition, 1974 and any visible features were pace-measured and described. No attempt was made to determine the subsurface extent of a site. Information was entered into a field notebook, from which a New Zealand Archaeological Association Site Record Form was completed for each new site found.

The following interpretation of site types was used: Midden: An area in which food refuse, etc., has been deposited. Those found in the survey area were principally comprised of cockle (Chione stutchburyi), tuatua (Paphies subtriangulatum), pipi (Paphies australe) and whelk (Cominella adspersa) as the most common species and mudsnail (Amphibola crenata), catseye (Lunella smaragda) and golden oyster (Anomia walteri) among the less common types. Also present were stone, charcoal and occasional flakes of argellite and the local quartzite. See sites S l /6 , 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19. Occupation Site: A locality where several archaeological features appear in a discrete area and appear to be inter-related. Features may include midden areas, pits and terraces. See sites S l /4 , 16. Pit: A man-made depression or hole in the ground of either circular or rectangular shape. Some pits have a raised lip or rim. See sites Sl /4 , 10, 16. Terrace: A deliberately constructed flat on a slope made by terracing of the ground. See sites S l /2 , 16. Pa: A location usually easily protected by its natural position which is often supplemented by deliberately constructed defences such as a ditch or ditch and bank. See site S l /2 . Rock Shelter: A shallow cave or area beneath an overhanging rock which contains evidence of occupation, e.g., midden. See site S l /5 . Manufacturing Site: A locality where cores and flakes of rocks used in tool construction are concentrated — the rock frequently being imported. See site Sl/20.

ANNOTATED LIST OF NEWLY RECORDED SITES

Grid references are from NZMS 1 Sheet SI and S3 Collingwood and Farewell, 3rd Edition, 1974. The distribution of sites is shown in Fig. 1. S l / 1 4 163228 M I D D E N , situated along the edge of the small lake in wet dune at the base

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of the Spit on the western coast. Li t t le of the midden exposed — total extent probably 1 0 x 1 m. Condit ion, good.

SI/15 167229 M I D D E N , along the edge of wet dune on the west coast at the base of the Spit. Midden mostly covered by sand - area exposed 5 x l m . Condit ion good.

S l / 1 6 169225 O C C U P A T I O N SITE, situated on the edge of the last large manuka stand just after pines and Fossil Point Road along the southern beach front. Possibly a flattened terrace with a large area of eroding midden deposit below this. Also, a possible shallow rectangular pit, 100 x 50 x 20cm. A greenstone adze has been found in this area. Condit ion, good though thick humus layer covering the site perhaps hides other possible archaeological features.

S l / 1 7 173227 M I D D E N , situated on the northern side of the Spit, by the second 'lake' east of Fossil Point Road, Deposit in 20cm conical pile. Condit ion, eroding.

S l / 1 8 174226 M I D D E N , situated on wet flat dune behind large sand dune on the south coast. Midden is small and shell scattered and broke a Condit ion, exposed and eroding.

S l / 1 9 197226 M I D D E N , located on sheltered flat ground behind large vegetated dune on south coast, 20cm thick exposed midden, more covered by sand and vegetation. Condit ion, good.

S l / 2 0 273218 M A N U F A C T U R I N G SITE (?) stones on edge of freshwater lake and rushes. Do not seem to be in a natural context. Core and flakes of an imported stone from a local Nelson source.

S l / 21 293223 S H I P W R E C K , the Helena brigantine, 5 July, 1885. Ballast rocks remaining on wet dune of north coast.

S l / 2 2 324211 S H I P W R E C K , the Messenger barque, in Mullet Channel, 19 September, 1879. This was the largest ship to founder on the Spit, 925 tons register. Condit ion, destroyed.

ANNOTATED LIST OF PREVIOUSLY RECORDED SITES

Additional notes and up-to-date descriptions of site condition are presented for the following sites recorded by Bagley (1975). S l / 4 143229 O C C U P A T I O N SITE, with pit (5.2 x 4.8 x 0.6m) and possible house

terrace. Situated on a grassed terrace on the eastern side, above and about 100m from entrance of small creek which runs out to beach near 'Fishing Rocks ' at Fossil Point. Several large quartzite cores were found on the surface. Condi t ion good although much midden is eroding from the bank above the stream.

S l / 5 148226 R O C K S H E L T E R , this cave is situated near the head of the valley where the limestone outcrops with the valley floor. It was excavated in 1966 by Don Millar and the Nelson Archaeological Society. N o undisturbed occupation material remains. Condit ion, destroyed.

S l / 7 148213 M I D D E N , small pocket of midden on sheep track. Situated on the seaward side and just below the top of the ridge which runs up behind the old farmhouse. A n adze was found here (Mr B. Robertson, Puponga Farm Manager, pers. comm.). Condit ion, stable.

S l / 8 148212 M I D D E N , situated in sandy beach ridge just north of A b e l Head Peninsula, on both sides o f fenceline running along beachfront. Deposit extends approximately 20m along shoreline. Condit ion, fair. Erosion on beach­front and some stock damage inside fence.

S l / 6 150226 M I D D E N , situated about 100m towards the valley from a small bank and

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some is also visible in the ditch section in the swamp immediately below. It is probably of not very great extent. Condit ion, stable apart from the slight erosion mentioned.

S l / 1 2 150219 M I D D E N , this extensive area of midden is situated in the patch of manuka trees behind the farm manager's house and is exposed in the sides of the three drainage ditches. Condit ion, good.

S l / 9 152224 M I D D E N , the site is on top of a wooded knol l (manuka), on the south side of the lagoon and overlooking its western end. In angle formed by fence and macrocarpa shelter belt. Condit ion, good, no stock damage.

SI /10 156224 M I D D E N , exposed in mounds on flat area at eastern end of the lagoon and also up to fence on sandhills. Quartzite flakes were present. There may have been a pit. Condi t ion, good - only a small amount of erosion along stock track.

S l / 1 1 157224 M I D D E N , on small ridge on north side of old airstrip paddock, 15m east of pine belt. Midden is eroding from bank where sheep have camped. Condi t ion, good.

S l / 1 3 152216 M I D D E N , all that area from the old farmhouse along the pine tree 159222 belt/beach front towards the Spit, almost to the end of the pines, 157223 extending inland to the front edge of the old airstrip paddock. There is

regular evidence of midden over this area. Much of it has at sometime been ploughed and some parts, particularly in the vicinity of the woolshed, have been badly disturbed. Considerable erosion on the beach front. Condi t ion varies from disturbed to good.

S l / 2 146208 PA S I T E , Abe l Head Peninsula. T w o ditches across the peninsula at its narrowest points, the second ditch being by far the most prominent. The area isolated between these two ditches contains a series of terraces along the ridge line and an area of midden on the seaward slope. Condi t ion, good.

DISCUSSION

The principal distribution of sites is round the base of the Spit (Fig. 1) where a wide variety of natural resources were available to the Maori. The location offered access to both coasts and the use of mudflats, open beaches, freshwater resources, swampy zones and scrub and bush as well as a natural defensive site, S l /2 . Except for the patches of rather scant midden deposits, the lack of sites further along the coast is in part probably due to the destruction of occupation sites by erosion, engulfment by sand dunes, or regrowth of the vegetation and not to minimal utilisation of the area.

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S

The author would like to thank Mr Bruce Robertson and Mr Geoff Rennison for discussion and assistance in the field, all Field Club members who contributed their observations and Professor R . C . Green for critically reading the manuscript.

R E F E R E N C E S

Bagley, A . S . 1975: Report on the Archaeological Site Survey, Lands and Survey Department Farm, Puponga. Unpublished Report. Nelson Provincial Museum.

Daniels, J .R .S . 1970: New Zealand Archaeology, A Site Recording Handbook. New Zealand Archaeological Association, Monograph No. 4. Wellington. 85p.

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Ingram, C .W.N. 1972: "New Zealand Shipwrecks, 1795-1970". Reed, Wellington 448n Penniket, J .R. 1970: "New Zealand Sea Shells in Colour" . Reed, Wellington 112p Taylor, N . 1959: "Early Travellers in New Zealand". Clarendon Press, Oxford 594p Teviotdale, D . 1934: Diary of Trips searching for Curios, 9 November, 1932-January 1936

Unpublished Manuscript, Hocken Library, Dunedin.