Winter 2025
With the weather cooling down as winter set in and the earthworks season closed, the team at InSitu Heritage spent more time focusing on academic and collegial growth as well as a variety office-based activities.
June began with Eliza, Lynda and Te Kiriwai monitoring works in central Tauranga for the construction of a new public transport facility. During earthworks a disturbed cultural layer was found, most probably relating to an 1870s timberyard owned and run by a man named John Conway. Conway was a well-respected carpenter and builder in late 19th century Tauranga and was hired for the construction of many notable buildings including the Bay of Plenty Times Building, the Spring Street Brewery, The Holy Trinity Church, and the Temperance Hotel. Conway began placing advertisements for the sale of construction materials from his Spring Street section in 1877, and these ran regularly until 1885. While no intact archaeological features were observed during works, a cylindrical metal artefact was recovered. Though the precise function of this artefact is unknown, it is thought to be a piece of machinery used during the milling and preparation of timber. It featured on our social media as a ‘mystery object’ post and provoked some interesting theories!
Later in June Eliza went to Gisborne to complete a coastal survey for a proposed seawall to address erosion issues. During the survey an intact cultural layer was observed eroding onto the beach. The scenic location and density of intact archaeological material has the team excited by the possibility to return to the site to monitor earthworks as the project progresses.
In July the entire team got together to attend the New Zealand Archaeological Association Annual Conference that was held at Mount Maunganui this year. We used the time to strengthen collegial relationships, catching up with friends and colleagues both old and new. Eliza and Andy presented papers during the conference; Eliza on Māori fishing practices in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and Andy giving a review of Māori Horticulture across the motu. During the conference field trip held on a cold and blustery day, Lynda did an excellent job educating her fellow archaeologists on the local archaeological landscape, closing off an exciting week. This conference was Te Kiriwai and Lotta’s first dive into the wider New Zealand Archaeology scene. We hope the experience didn’t scare them off!
Following the conference Eliza and Te Kiriwai excavated the grave of Lotta’s much loved dog, a Shiba Inu named Roxy. Roxy passed away in 2020 at the age of 15. Lotta and her family kindly donated Roxy to the InSitu Heritage Faunal Reference Collection. Due to her size and breed, she is very similar to an ancient Māori kurī. Roxy will be an important reference specimen that will assist us to accurately identify kurī found in archaeological sites. Recovery proved a challenge due to a high water table and the wet ground in which she was buried, however it was a good training exercise for Te Kiriwai. Roxy’s bones have now been cleaned and labelled, and are stored in the warm, dry environment of our Faunal Laboratory.
In August Eliza and Te Kiriwai started the process of sorting and identifying midden samples obtained earlier in the year from a shellfish processing site found during wetland restoration works in Pukehina. Taphonomic processes, such as many years of the midden being trampled by dairy cattle, made identification difficult, but analysis to date has proven the site does contain valuable information about Māori harvesting of kaimoana in and around the little Waihī estuary.
Finally, the team said ka kite anō to our wonderful intern and volunteer Te Kiriwai Murphy-Fell, as she travelled to California to complete her final semester of university. We all wish her well with her overseas experience and look forward to working with her again after her return to Aotearoa in 2026.
