T A N E 28, 1982

A R C H A E O L O G I C A L SITES O N R A K I T U (ARID) I S L A N D , N O R T H - E A S T N E W Z E A L A N D

by Bruce W. Hayward*, Peter J . Matthews and Phillip R. Moore* • N . Z . Geological Survey, P .O . B o x 30368, Lower H u t t

t 3 Sadgrove Terrace, M o u n t A lber t , A u c k l a n d , 3

S U M M A R Y

Thirty-nine prehistoric archaeological sites are recorded on Rakitu Island. These include 3 paa, 23 pit and terrace sites, 8 rock shelters, 2 cultivation sites, 1 midden, 1 find spot and 1 burial. Stonework (stone retaining wall, stone-faced pit, stone heaps) is present in three sites. Most sites are clustered around the central valley of the island with a second small group around Shag Bay on the sheltered west coast.

The distribution of numerous pits, largely flanking the central valley, and the limited extent of remaining forest when Europeans first arrived, suggest that the majority of archaeological sites relate to a period or periods of permanent settlement and cultivation by prehistoric Maoris. It appears that most of the lower slopes of the central valley of Abbott's Stream were cleared of forest and cultivated at one time or other.

INTRODUCTION

A site survey of Rakitu Island (European name - Arid Island) was undertaken during the Offshore Islands Research Group trip from 30 December 1980 to 8 January 1981. The island was extensively searched with only a few sections of the very steep, bushed outer cliffs not being thoroughly examined. The only archaeological sites likely to have been overlooked therefore would be obscure rock shelters, middens and burials.

Rakitu Island (latitude 36°6'S, 175°30'E) lies 2.5 km off the east coast of Great Barrier Island (Fig. 1). It is roughly oval in outline and covers an area of approximately 260 hectares. The island is surrounded by steep, rocky partly-vegetated cliffs reaching heights of nearly 180 m. These cliffs are breached in the north-west by a sheltered bay (Arid Cove) with a sandy beach at its head which provides the only really satisfactory landing place on the island.

Physiographically Rakitu Island is divided into two high-standing blocks (220 m A.S.L.) by the central valley of Abbott's Stream (Fig. 1,2, 3) which flows into Arid Cove. Each block is drained by tributaries of Abbott's Stream on its landward side and has steep coastal cliffs on the seaward side. Rocky bluffs are prevalent around the summit ridges of

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0 1 km

F i g . 1. Archaeological sites on R a k i t u Is land. Contours are in 20 m intervals . Inset map shows location of R a k i t u Is land off north-east New Zealand. Place names i n italics have been taken from early maps or local usage and are not at present formal ly recognised by N . Z . Geographic Place Names Board .

both blocks. Abbott's Stream supplies a permanent water supply year round.

A t present grazed farmland covers approximately half the island, especially around the floor and lower slopes of Abbott's Stream valley and on the hills around Arid Cove. Pockets of kanuka and mixed coastal forest occur around the seaward cliffs and in the valleys of Reserve, Maori and Bush Creeks. This present vegetation cover has resulted from prehistoric Maori modification and European farming (Hayward 1982). When visited in 1867 by two natural scientists it was noted that much of Rakitu Island's grassland vegetation had been burnt off only a

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F i g . 2. Panorama looking south and west from the t r i g on north-east R a k i t u Is land. Some of the archaeological sites are numbered. A r i d Cove w i t h Moturoa P t behind is on the r ight and the grassed lower slopes of A b b o t t ' s Stream valley cut r ight across the middle of the photograph. Water fa l l and B u s h Creeks drain the elevated south west block of land i n the middle background. Great Barr ier Is land lies 2.5 k m beyond.

few days earlier by a party of Maori mutton-birders from Great Barrier Island (Hutton and Kirk 1868). A sketch map of the island made in 1870, well before any European farming began, shows that the distribution of forest then was very much the same as it is today.

A few of the archaeological sites are moderately well-preserved (e.g. 271, 286, 293), but the majority have suffered considerable stock damage.

A N N O T A T E D LIST OF SITES (Fig. 1)

Site numbers are those of the New Zealand Archaeological Association's Record File. Grid references (e.g. 994495) are from N Z M S 1 Sheet N30-31 Barrier (1st Ed . 1953). N30-31 G r i d 258 (994495) R O C K S H E L T E R , H a u t a p u P t . In cliffs; 12 x 2 m dry floor

beneath up to 2 m high roof; charcoal; karakas. 259 (991493) B U R I A L , A r i d Cove. O n ledge i n cave. 260 (989493) P I T and T E R R A C E S , Moturoa P t . O n ridge and eastern slopes.

P i t (2.5 x 1.5 x 0.3 m) faced w i t h stone retaining walls; several elongate terraces on slopes; sparse shell, obsidian.

261 (990490) P A A , Moturoa P t . O n kno l l and slopes to south-east. D i t c h (4 m wide, 2 m deep) across saddle; possible terraces wi th in .

262 (991489) P I T S , A q u a r i u m B a y . O n kno l l on cliff-top ridge. F i v e pits (c. 3 x 1.5 x 0.2 m).

263 (991488) P I T and T E R R A C E S , A q u a r i u m B a y . O n kno l l on cliff-top ridge. P lat form ( 6 x 5 m), terrace (6 x 4 m) and p i t (3 x 2 x 0.2 m).

264 (996491) P I T S and M I D D E N , above A r i d Cove. O n spur. Several pits ; scatter of shell midden; hangi stones; obsidian flake (Z2856), chips of andesite and silicified tuff?, core of silicified rhyolite.

265 (997491) P I T S , above A r i d Cove. O n spur. F i v e pits (c. 3 x 2 x O . l m). 266 (999491) T E R R A C E S , Reserve Creek. O n spur near stream bed. T w o

terraces (c. 5 x 2.5 m each).

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267 (999489) P I T S , on ridge between Reserve and M a o r i Creeks. Two probable pits (2 x 1 x 0.05m); she l l fragments; large flake of microcrystall ine quartz.

268 (999488) P I T S , on ridge between Reserve and M a o r i Creeks. T w o pits (2 x 1 x 0.2 m).

269 (995486) P I T S , above A b b o t t ' s Stream. O n spur. T w o pits (c. 3.5 x 2 x 0.3 m).

270 (996486) P I T , above A b b o t t ' s Stream. O n spur. Single p i t (3 x 1.5 x 1 m). 271 (000485) P I T S and T E R R A C E , above M a o r i Creek. O n spur crest. Four

pits (up to 5 x 2.5 x 1 m); terrace ( 5 x 4 m). 272 (998484) P I T S and T E R R A C E , M a o r i Creek. O n gentle slope. Four p i ts

(c. 2.5 x 1.5 x 0.2 m); terrace ( 6 x 2 m). 273 (997483) D R A I N S , A b b o t t ' s Stream. O n lower slopes of valley. Three,

straight, parallel , indist inct drains (60 m long, 0.1 m deep, 0.5 m wide), 4 m apart, running downhil l .

274 (997482) T E R R A C E S , above Abbot t ' s Stream. O n spur. T w o definite terraces.

275 (994483) P I T S , above Water fa l l Creek. O n spur. T w o indist inct pits . 276 (993483) R O C K S H E L T E R , Water fa l l Creek. 20 x 1.5 m dry floor

beneath overhanging bluff beside waterfall ; scattered shell. 277 (991483) R O C K S H E L T E R , B u s h Creek. 2 x 2 m dry floor beneath

overhanging boulder; scattered shell. 278 (991482) R O C K S H E L T E R , B u s h Creek. 4 x 4.5 m dry floor beneath

overhanging boulder; scattered shell i n front. 279 (990483) M I D D E N , B u s h Creek. A t foot of bluffs. Scattered shell. 280 (990481) R O C K S H E L T E R , above B u s h Creek. 18 x 4 m dry floor

beneath overhanging ledge (1-2 m high) jus t below top of " p l a t e a u " .

281 (989483) T E R R A C E and M I D D E N , B u s h Creek. O n valley slopes amongst boulders. T w o terraces and scattered shell midden.

282 (989485) P I T S and T E R R A C E S , above B u s h Creek. O n boulder-strewn, rocky ridge crest. Several indist inct pits ; smal l terraces; scattered shell and hangi stones.

283 (990485) P I T S and T E R R A C E S , above A b b o t t ' s Stream. O n spur crest. Four pits (c. 2.5 x 1.5 x 0.3 m); several terraces.

284 (991484) P I T S and T E R R A C E S , above B u s h Creek. O n spur crest. Four pits (up to 3 x 1 . 5 x 0 . 3 m); several terraces; scattered shell and basalt flake (Z2855).

285 (988483) S T O N E W A L L and T E R R A C E , on high ridge peak above S h a g B a y . S m a l l terrace on side of rocky peak w i t h stone retaining wal l (up to 1.5 m high) along south side.

286 (985484) P A A , S h a g B a y . O n small point surrounded on three sides by cliffs. Terraced top (c. 40 x 10 m total area).

287 (986482) R O C K S H E L T E R , Shag B a y . A t foot of h igh cliffs. Large dry area beneath overhang; rounded andesite hangi stone on floor.

288 (985482) P A A , Te P a u P t . O n flat top of point. D i t c h w i t h 3 m h igh scarp across narrow saddle; indist inct terraces wi th in .

289 (986481) R O C K S H E L T E R S , Te Pau P t . Beneath overhanging boulders. T w o shal l shelters; scattered shell and f ish bone.

290 (003490) P I T S , 215 m spot height. Four pits (up to 3 x 2 x 0.5 m). 291 (002485) P I T S , east of M a o r i Creek. O n spur crest. T w o pits (c. 4 x 2 x 0.5

m). 292 (001485) S T O N E H E A P S , A b b o t t ' s Stream valley. I n smal l flat-

bottomed valley i n area w i t h scattered stones. Several definite

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Fig 3. Grassed slopes at the head of Abbott's Stream valley showing location of archaeological sites. Much of this area is thought to have been cultivated by the prehistoric Maori.

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338

293

337

336

(005485)

(992490)

(001493)

(001483) stone heaps (c. 1 x 1 x 0.6 m). P I T , A b b o t t ' s Stream (Fig. 4). O n low flat spur. Single pit (7 x £ x 1.5 m) w i t h raised r i m (0.3 high). R O C K S H E L T E R , above Moehau P t . Cleft i n large rock, on edge of pur i r i grove; minor shell midden. T E R R A C E ? above north side W e k a B a y . O n spur crest; possible 3 x 2 m terrace at saddle. F I N D S P O T , west end of A r i d Cove, on beach. B a s a l t flake.

SITE T Y P E S

Paa Three paa sites (defended occupation area) were recorded on Rakitu

Island (Fig. 1). A l l are on coastal headlands that have natural protection in the form of cliffs on three sides. The paa on Moturoa Pt. (261) and Te Pau Pt. (288) each have a ditch (2-3 m deep) dug across the narrow saddles that join them to the main part of the island. These two paa both have relatively large flat and terraced areas enclosed within their ditch defences. Artefacts have been found at both sites and both have been partly dug over by fossickers many years ago. The paa on Moturoa Pt. (261) may also have included within its defences the pit and terrace site (260), 200 m further out along the point (Fig. 2), but this can also be reached by an easy scramble up the low cliffs from Arid Cove.

The third site (286) interpreted as a paa is on a small headland in Shag Bay (Fig. 5). This paa is small, with the entire 400 m 2 top of the headland being terraced. The headland joins the mainland at the foot of 80 m high cliffs and would not require any ditch for defence. Access is via a 15 m-high scramble up steep slopes from the boulder beach.

Pits and Terraces Outside of the paa, 23 pit and/or terrace sites containing a minimum

total of 48 pits have been recorded. Virtually all of these sites are located on the crests of spurs and ridges around the centre of the island. A l l the pits are rectangular in shape and most are approximately 3 x 1.5 m and 0.1 - 0.3 m deep. One pit (293) that doesn't fit this pattern is unusually large (7 x 5 x 1.5 m) and has a low raised rim around all four sides (Fig. 4). Unlike many other places, there is no large site complex containing many pits; instead the pits occur singly or in small clusters containing up to five.

Pits are the subterranean basal portions of low rectangular buildings used either for food storage or dwellings. About half the pit sites have no associated flat ground or terraces and these were presumably used solely for the storage of food, probably kumara grown on the island. Of those sites that have associated flat ground, many also have shell midden scattered around which suggests that some possibly served as

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F i g . 5. Obl ique aerial photograph of Shag B a y and the part ly vegetated cl i f fs behind, typica l of those that surround most of R a k i t u Is land. P a a sites (286, 288) are sited on headlands; rock shelters (287, 289) occur i n the forest around the base of the cl i f fs and a stonewall and terrace site (285) on a high rocky kno l l is interpreted as a lookout. Photo : L . Homer , N . Z . Geological Survey.

dwelling sites while others were used for crop storage. The larger undefended occupation and storage sites (pits and terraces) were probably those on the ridge above Bush Creek (282, 284) and on the tip of Moturoa Pt. (260).

Stonework Stonework was recorded at three sites and is only a small part of the

archaeological heritage of Rakitu Island. A stone retaining wall has been constructed to assist in the creation of a terrace (285) on the top of one of the highest knolls on the island (Figs 2, 5). This site was possibly used as a lookout.

One pit on Moturoa Pt. (260) is faced internally with low stone retaining walls - an uncommon feature previously recorded from Hen Island, Mt . Wellington and the Waitakere Ranges (Hayward 1981).

The third example of stonework is several stone heaps (292) in a small, flat-bottomed amphitheatre on the side of Abbott's Stream valley (Fig. 3). These heaps are similar to those existing in large numbers on places such as the Poor Knights Islands and Hen Island (e.g. Hayward et al. 1978) where stoney ground had been cleared for cultivation. On Rakitu

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Island the heaps occur in the middle of a gently sloping area of about 1 000 m 2 covered with scattered stones. Many of these stones appear clustered as if they also may have been in heaps but have been disturbed by nearly a century of trampling cattle.

Cultivations Only two sites recorded can be directly related to cultivation

activities. The stone heaps (292) described above were most probably produced when the gently sloping area was cleared of stones prior to cultivation. Three parallel, shallow "drains" (273) on the lower slopes of Abbott's Stream valley (Fig. 3) are similar to those recorded in cultivation sites elsewhere, such as on the Cavalli Islands (Hayward et al. 1979). The "drains" may have been used to divide the area into cultivation strips.

The number and distribution of pits on the island clearly suggest that most of the lower slopes of Abbott's Stream valley were cultivated at some time or other.

Rock shelters Nine rock shelters have been recorded on Rakitu Island and

undoubtedly others remain unrecorded in some of the less accessible bushed and cliffed areas. A l l but one of the recorded sites contain evidence of use by the prehistoric Maori in the form of scattered charcoal, hangi stones or midden over the floor or slopes below. Karaka trees growing in front of the shelter on Hautapu Pt. (258) give further evidence of use. In other places karaka trees are characteristic of rock shelters that have been occupied, for they grow from the discarded kernels of karaka berries prepared for consumption. The one recorded site (280) lacking obvious evidence of occupation is close to other sites and is the most perfect in shape and location of all the shelters and was undoubtedly used. Numerous other shelters around the island were investigated but not recorded through lack of evidence of use.

The rock shelters on Rakitu Island are of two types. One group (e.g. 277, 278, 289, 336) occurs beneath the edges of large boulders that have fallen down from bluffs above. These shelters are usually very small (2-8 m 2 floor area) and have low roofs, often no more than 1 m high.

The second group (e.g. 258, 276, 280, 287) occurs beneath over­hanging sections of cliff and usually are larger (10-100 m 2 floor area) with much higher roofs that render the shelters more open to the weather.

Middens Midden is present at 13 of the sites and in all cases is very sparse and

scattered. No extensive midden deposits or horizons were located. One

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site (279) is solely scattered shell midden but the others are of midden found in association with rock shelters, terraces and/or pits. Its presence is taken to indicate some form of short or long term occupation of these sites.

Of the midden contents (Table 1), the most common shells are Cookia sulcata, Turbo smaragdus, Melagraphia aethiops, Nerita melanotragus and Thais orbita - all species that are common on the intertidal rocks around Rakitu Island. The only shellfish present that does not occur around the island is Paphies subtriangulatum (tuatua) and these were presumably brought across from the sandy beaches of Haratonga or Whangapoua on adjacent Great Barrier Island. Large Turbo smaragdus (up to 60 mm height) are common in the middens yet were not found l i v e around Rakitu Island during our visit although presumably were there in prehistoric times. Table 1. L i s t of contents recorded in middens on R a k i t u Island.

260 264 277 278 279 281 282 284 289 336 Cellana radians X X X Charonia lampas capax X Cookia sulcata X X X X X Haliotis iris X X Haustrum haustorium X Melagraphia aethiops X X X Nerita melanotragus X X X X X X X Paphies subtriangulatum X X Penion adusta X Thais orbita X X X X X X Turbo smaragdus X X X X X f ish bone X

Artefacts Only a few stone flakes and a small core were found during the present

survey. These include 3 small flakes of 'green' obsidian (Z2858, 2859), 2 flakes of 'grey' obsidian (Z2856), 2 basalt flakes (Z2855, 2857), and 2 pieces of nu^rocrystalline quartz or "chert". The core (Z2856) consists of greenish-grey micrc«:rystalline quartz or highly silicified flow-banded rhyolite.

The 'green' obsidian flakes are most likely derived from Mayor Island, while the 'grey' flakes could have come from obsidian deposits on Great Barrier or Coromandel Peninsula. The two basalt flakes are very similar in composition and closely resemble Tahanga Basalt, a rock type used extensively in the manufacture of adzes in prehistoric times (Moore 1976). One flake has a smooth, ground surface on one side and appears to have broken off a po l i shed adze. The other, found on the beach at Ar id Cove, shows signs of having been struck from a larger piece of basalt and may indicate that "cores" or roughout adze blanks were worked by

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F i g . 6. Adzes collected from R a k i t u Is land (D.B. Rope collection), a. 1 A type adze, made from Tahanga Basalt ; b. 2 B type, in Tahanga Basalt ; c. 2B type, composed of fine grained, laminated sandstone ("greywacke").

the island's Maori inhabitants. Several adzes have previously been collected from Arid Island. The

largest is a 1A type, made from Tahanga Basalt. Although it has the typical quadrangular cross-section of the 1A type, the "butt" is differentiated only by bruising; most of the blade is polished (Fig. 6a). The two smaller adzes are both 2B types, made from Tahanga Basalt (Fig. 6b) and fine grained, laminated sandstone or "greywacke" (Fig. 6c). The latter, which is completely polished, was found in Reserve Stream by M r Clive Abbotts (former manager of the island farm).

Three well-rounded cobbles, presumed to be hangi stones, were collected in the vicinity of site 282 and subsequently examined petrographically. Two are composed of pyroxene andesite, and one of hornblende andesite. These rock types do not occur on Arid Island, and

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the cobbles were most likely collected from boulder beaches on the east coast of Great Barrier Island. Suitable hangi stones, composed of andesite, are today obtained from Wreck Bay on the N E coast of Great Barrier (Bryce Rope pers. comm.).

DISCUSSION

Despite extensive searching no sites were located in the cliff-bound south-west portion of Rakitu Island, and sites are very rare around the steep and cliffed northern and eastern coasts of the island. Most sites appear to be grouped around the central valley of Abbott's Stream and its outlet into Arid Cove, where the main landing for the island is located. There is also a small cluster of four sites near the shore at the foot of high cliffs around Shag Bay, on the more sheltered, western side of the island, facing Great Barrier Island.

Most sites appear to relate to a period or periods of permanent occupation of the island by prehistoric Maoris. The presence of a large number of pit sites (used for the storage of crops) indicates not only that the island was extensively cultivated but also that it was presumably permanently occupied year round as crops were stored there for out of season consumption. From the distribution of pit and cultivation sites and from the map of remaining forest cover when Europeans first visited Rakitu Island, it would appear that most of the lower slopes of Abbott's Stream valley were cleared of forest by the prehistoric Maori (possibly over a number of years) and used for growing their crops.

When hostile forces were expected, a lookout may have been posted on the high rocky knoll above Shag Bay (285) and the inhabitants may have retreated to one of their defended paa on Moturoa Pt or around Shag Bay.

The rock shelters were possibly occupied for short periods only, especially during inclement weather, but without excavation of an Undisturbed shelter floor, little can be inferred about their occupation.

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

W e would l ike to thank other members of the Offshore Islands Research Group for their assistance in locating sites while on R a k i t u Island. The local knowledge of the owner, M r D . B . Rope, and other members of his family was also greatly appreciated. M r Rope k ind ly made the adzes in his possession available for our study. This paper was crit ical ly reviewed by Ian Keyes and typed by Patr i c ia White .

R E F E R E N C E S

H a y w a r d , B . W . 1981: Stonewall defences and stone-faced pits . Newsletter, New Zealand Archaeological Association 24: 79-86.

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H a y w a r d , B . W . 1982: Offshore Islands Research Group tr ip to R a k i t u (Arid) Is land, north east New Zealand, New Year 1980-1981. Introduction and Acknowledgements. Tat 28: 79-84.

H a y w a r d , B . W . ; Moore, P . R . & Newman, M . 1978: Archaeological site survey of H< Island (Taranga). Tane 24:137-157.

H a y w a r d , B . W . , Moore, P . R . , Puch , F . G . , Ramsay , E . G . & W r i g h t , A . E . 197' Archaeological sites on the Cava l l i Islands, northern New Zealand. Tane 25:157-172.

H u t t o n , F . W . & K i r k , T. 1868: Descr ipt ion of A r i d Island, H a u r a k i Gulf . Transactions an Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 1:108-112.

Moore, P .R . 1976: The Tahanga Basal t : an important stone resource in N o r t h Island prehistory. Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum 13: 77-93.

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