2. Mangatawa catchment consents for earthworks, storm water ...

7
U14/1842 – Artifact Find Spot
This site was recorded by Bruce McFadgen during the 1984 survey of Tauranga
District. According to the NZAA Site Record Form it represents the location of two
adzes found when a tongue of high ground was bulldozed into the adjacent swamp to
level the ground for cropping. No photos or sketches of the adzes are available;
however, they are described by B. McFadgen as ‘moahunter-type’ adzes in the
possession of Mr T Lennard at the time of recording. Adzes of this type typically date
to the early prehistoric period of Maori history.
U14/1843 – Oven Stones
This site was recorded by Bruce McFadgen during the 1984 survey of Tauranga
District. According to the NZAA Site Record form the site comprises a concentration
of burnt fractured stones exposed on the western edge of a tongue of high ground
within Pt 10 Mangatawa. Ken Phillips inspected the location of the site in June 2002,
however, the oven stones were no longer visible.
The identified archaeological sites U14/1842 & 1843 indicate the presence of a pre
European Maori settlement on the low ridge. A section of the ridge has been quarried
away during the construction of the railway and SH 2; however, the distal end of the
ridge on the northern side of SH 2 appears to be relatively unmodified and may
contain further subsurface archaeological features and or artefacts in the overlying
volcanic loam soils and within the surrounding wetlands. This includes Pt Lot 1 DP
34461 affected by the construction corridor.
Survey plans produced in 1893 (ML 4868) and 1911 (ML 8133) provide a traditional
place name of Otaimatua for the tongue of raised ground on which U14/1842 & 1843
are located.
Figure 5. View looking south east from Bruce road showing the Otaimatua ridge extending
across SH2.