New dates refine understanding of early Māori society
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Archaeologists in New Zealand investigated two sites, Waihemo and Kokohuia, to refine the timeline of early Māori development after Polynesian settlers arrived around 750 years ago.
Researchers had previously divided this history into three periods, initial settlement, a transitional phase, and the emergence of “classic” Māori society, but lacked precise dates for these shifts. The team combined high-precision radiocarbon dating with statistical modeling and “wiggle-matching” to account for fluctuations in atmospheric carbon and the order of deposited remains.
At Waihemo, on the South Island, the new dates revealed people used the site repeatedly from 1320 to 1440, shifting from hunting moa and seals to relying more on shellfish, fish, dogs, and birds. This longer occupation period explains why artifacts from different periods were found together. At Kokohuia, in Northland, researchers dated charred twigs and seeds to around 1600, aligning with other archaeological finds like two-piece shell fishhooks.
These refined dates, accurate to within 20 to 30 years, offer a more detailed understanding of cultural changes and may eventually help connect archaeological evidence with Māori oral histories that recount events from the past. The study acknowledges the support of local Māori communities and researchers who contributed to the project.
