Abstract
SUMMARY: In 1842 the former first government house located at Okiato, New Zealand, burnt to the ground and the site was abandoned. A well on the site was excavated in 1994–95, revealing a base layer of burnt timbers, a Maori digging stick and ceramic sherds with an estimated manufacture date range of 1823–41. We argue that this deposit is derived from the 1842 destruction of the Okiato government house building. An analysis of the wood identified kauri (Agathis australis) and kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), confirming that the building was not a prefabricated imported structure, but rather was constructed on site from locally available timber.
RÉSUMÉ
En 1842, suite à l’incendie total de l’ancienne maison du premier gouverneur située à Okiato, Nouvelle-Zélande, le site fut abandonné. Un puit y a été fouillé en 1994-1995, révélant un niveau d’origine de poutres brûlées, un bâton à fouir Maori et des tessons de céramique avec une date de production estimée entre 1823 et 1841. Nous soutenons que ce dépôt résulte de la destruction en 1842 de la maison du gouverneur d’Okiato. Une analyse des bois identifiés, kauri (Agathis australis) et kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), confirme que le bâtiment n’était pas une structure préfabriquée importée, mais plutôt une construction sur le site à partir de bois disponible localement.
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
Das erste, früher gebaute Regierungsgebäude in Okiato, Neu Zealand, brannte in 1842 ab und die Stätte wurde verlassen. Hier wurde in 1994-1995 ein Brunnen ausgegraben, der auf seinem Grunde eine Lage verbrannten Holzes enthielt mit einem Maori Grabstock und keramischen Scherben wahrscheinlich hergestellt zwischen 1823-41. Wir behaupten, dass diese Lage aus der Zeit von 1842, der Zerstörung des Okinato Regierungsgebäudes stammt. Die Analyse des Holzes identifizierte kauri (Agathis australis) und kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides); es bestätigt, dass das Gebäude keine vorfabrizierte importierte Struktur, sondern an Ort und Stelle mit einheimisch gewachsenem Holz gebaut war.
RIASSUNTO
La prima residenza governativa della Nuova Zelanda, che si trovava a Okiato, fu completamente distrutta da un incendio nel 1842 e il sito fu abbandonato. Nel 1994-1995, durante lo scavo di un pozzo, vennero alla luce uno strato di legno bruciato, un utensile da scavo Maori, e frammenti di ceramica databili approssimativamente al 1823-41. Sosteniamo che questo deposito si è originato in seguito alla distruzione della residenza governativa di Okiato nel 1842. L’analisi del legno ha portato all’identificazione di kauri (Agathis australis) e di kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), confermando che l’edificio non era una struttura prefabbricata, ma fu costruito in sito utilizzando il legname disponibile localmente.
RESUMEN
En 1842 la antigua casa del primer gobierno ubicada en Okiato, Nueva Zelanda, se quemó por completo y el sitio fue abandonado. En 1994-1995 se excavó un pozo en el mismo sitio, revelando una capa de maderas quemadas, un palo para excavar Maori y fragmentos de cerámica manufacturados entre 1823 y 1841. Creemos que este depósito deriva de la casa de gobierno de Okiato destruída en 1842. La identificación y el análisis de la madera, kauri (Agathis australis) y kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), confirman que el edificio no fue una importación prefabricada sino una construcción in situ hecha con madera local.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all those who took part in the excavations between 1992 and 1995. We thank the Department of Conservation Kerikeri office for making the assemblage available for this research, in particular Andrew Blanchard. The authors would also like to thank Angela Middleton for comments on an early draft of the report. Les O’Neill, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Otago, prepared Figures 6, 7 and 10. The article was funded by a University of Otago publishing bursary. The text has benefited from comments by editors Penny Crook and Alasdair Brooks, and the anonymous reviewers.
SUMMARY IN FRENCH, GERMAN, ITALIAN AND SPANISH
Notes
21 Dunedin Hocken Library MS-0085 (Markham’s Citation1834 ‘Transcript of New Zealand recollections’).
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