Matthew Schmidt

Table 1: Marine shell CRAs of less than/equal to 950 years BP from New Zealand moa-hunting archaeological sites.

Table 2: Charcoal CRAs of less than/equal to 650 years BP from New Zealand moa-hunting archaeological sites.

Table 3: Moa egg shell CRAs of less than/equal to 650 years BP from New Zealand moa-hunting archaeological sites.

Notes: CRA = conventional radiocarbon age. NZ = radiocarbon age determined by the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, Wellington, New Zealand. Wk = radiocarbon age determined by the University of Waikato Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, Hamilton, New Zealand

A — all or part of the charcoal sample has not been identified to twigs of tree or shrub species. Radiocarbon ages on unidentified charcoal retain the risk of high inbuilt age of the sample and so cannot be deemed reliable (see McFadgen, Knox and Cole 1994). The radiocarbon dates from the Killermont site (Wk-2782, Wk-2783, Wk-2916, Wk-2991) were all derived from identified charcoal other than one piece in each sample being unidentified. Though the charcoal radiocarbon ages are consistent for this site and inbuilt age is probably negligible, they are placed to one side for this analysis as a precaution;

B — the identified charcoal dated is still at risk of possessing high inbuilt age. After 1976, charcoal samples from New Zealand archaeological sites were identified to twigs of short-lived tree and shrub species prior to radiocarbon dating to reduce the risk of inbuilt age (see Anderson 1991; Schmidt 1996a, 2000). However, opinion is divided on the actual longevity of various tree and shrub species used for dating, as well as whether longevity is a relevant consideration for the sample being dated as because the sample constitutes twig charcoal, these constituents represent only a few years of growth (see McFadgen, Knox and Cole 1994; Schmidt 2000:29-31). In this discard protocol, any radiocarbon ages derived from twig charcoal that is dominated or co-dominated by long-lived species are rejected as a precaution against inbuilt age (see Table 2 and Table 4).

C — all or part of the marine shell sample dated has not been identified to shellfish species. A radiocarbon age derived from unidentified shellfish species may contain species which are known not to be reliable for radiocarbon dating New Zealand prehistory (see discard protocols D and E), therefore dates on these samples are rejected;

D — the shellfish species radiocarbon dated has an unknown reliability. At present, nine shellfish species have been identified as being reliable for radiocarbon dating New Zealand prehistory (Table 5). Other species of shellfish radiocarbon dated must be deemed unreliable at present until future research confirms them otherwise;

E — the marine shell dates have been derived from Amphibola crenata (mudsnail) (Higham 1993, Schmidt 1996b), Macomona liliana (Hogg, Higham and Dahm 1998) or fresh water shellfish, as these molluscs are known to be unreliable for radiocarbon dating (see Anderson 1991:768, 1996; Higham 1993:122).

F — Unacceptable materials have been used or where the reliability of the material as a dating medium is at present unknown for New Zealand archaeology. These include peat, kumara, soil, grease, and feather (see Anderson 1991, 1996; Schmidt 1996a, 2000; Higham and Hogg 1997);

G — Dates from archaeological sites where there is evidence or the possibility of post-depositional disturbance are rejected. Here the exact provenance and chronological integrity of the sample is dubious;

H — it is unclear whether the dated sample is in direct association with evidence of moa-hunting. For these radiocarbon ages, establishing the exact provenance of the sample was difficult to ascertain even though they may date moa-hunting at the site, therefore these dates are put to one side;

I — the conventional radiocarbon age is less than 250 years BP. Such dates can only be deemed modern.

J — Radiocarbon dates from New Zealand moa-hunting sites are accepted when they pass all the tests above.

Anderson, A. 1982. A Review of Economic Patterns During the Archaic Phase in Southern New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Archaeology 4:45-75.

Anderson, A. 1989. Prodigious Birds: Moa and Moa Hunting in Prehistoric New Zealand. Cambridge University Press.

Anderson, A. 1991. The Chronology of Colonization in New Zealand. Antiquity 65:767-795.

Anderson, A. 1996. Was Rattus exulans in New Zealand 2000 years Ago? AMS Radiocarbon ages from Shag Mouth. Archaeology in Oceania 31: 178-184.

Anderson, A., Allingham, B., and Smith, I. 1996. Shag River Mouth: The Archaeology of an Early Southern Maori Village. Research papers in Archaeology and Natural History No. 27, ANH Publications, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Anderson, A.J. and McGovern-Wilson, R. 1990. The Pattern Of Prehistoric Polynesian Colonisation in New Zealand. Journal Royal Society New Zealand 20(1):41-63.

Anderson, A.J., Smith, I.W.G. and Higham, T.F.G. 1996. Radiocarbon Chronology. In A.J. Anderson, I.W.G. Smith, and B.J. Allingham (eds), Shag River Mouth: the Archaeology of an Early Southern Maori Village, pp. 60-69. Australian National University Research Papers in Archaeology and Natural History 27. ANH Publications, RSPAS, Canberra, Australia.

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Hogg, A.G., T.F.G. Higham and J. Dahm, 1998. Radiocarbon dating of modern marine and estuarine shellfish. Radiocarbon, 40: 975-84.

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Higham, T.F.G. 1993. Radiocarbon Dating the Prehistory of New Zealand. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Waikato, Hamilton.

Higham, T.F.G. 1994. Radiocarbon Dating New Zealand Prehistory With Moa Eggshell: Some Preliminary Results. Quaternary Geochronology (Quaternary Science Reviews) Vol. 13 pp. 163-169.

Higham, T.F.G., Anderson, A.J. and Jacomb, C. 1999. Dating the first New Zealanders: the chronology of Wairau Bar. Antiquity 73:420-427.

Higham, T.F.G., and Hogg, A.G. 1995. Radiocarbon dating of prehistoric shell from New Zealand and calculation of the D R value using fish otoliths. Radiocarbon 37(2): 409-416.

Higham, T.F.G., and Hogg, A.G. 1997. Evidence for late Polynesian colonisation of New Zealand: University of Waikato Radiocarbon Measurements. Radiocarbon 39(2): 149-192.

McCormac, F.G, Hogg A.G., Higham T.F.G., Lynch-Steiglitz J., Broecker W.S., Baillie M.G.L., Palmer J.G., Xiong L., Pilcher J.R., Brown D. & Hoper S.T. 1998. Temporal variation in the interhemispheric 14C offset. Geophysical Research Letters 25(9):1321-4.

McFadgen, B.G., Knox, F.B. and Cole, T.R.L. 1994. Radiocarbon Calibration Curve Variations and their Implications for the Interpretation of New Zealand Prehistory. Radiocarbon 36(2):221-236.

Petchey, F., 1999. New Zealand Bone Dating Revisited: A radiocarbon discard protocol for bone. New Zealand Journal of Archaeology (1997):81-124.

Petchey, F. in press. Radiocarbon Dating Fish Bone from the Houhora Archaeological Site. Archaeology in Oceania.

Schmidt, M.D. 1996a. The commencement of pa construction in New Zealand prehistory. Journal of the Polynesian Society 105(4): 441-460.

Schmidt, M.D. 1996b. Radiocarbon Dating New Zealand Prehistory Using Marine Shell. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Waikato, Hamilton.

Schmidt, M.D. 1999. Pa radiocarbon dating database. Accessed on the Internet at c14.sci.waikato.ac.nz/nzaa/pac14.html.

Schmidt, M.D. 2000. Radiocarbon Dating New Zealand Prehistory Using Marine Shell. BAR International Series 842, Hadrian Books, Oxford, England.

Schmidt, M.D. 2000. Moa-hunting radiocarbon dates database. Accessed on the Internet at c14.sci.waikato.ac.nz/nzaa/schmidtmoa.html.

Schmidt, M.D and Higham, T.F.G. 1998. Origins of New Zealand's Archaic East Polynesian culture revisited: The chronology of the Tairua archaeological site. Journal of the Polynesian Society 107(4): 395-403.

Smith, I.W.G. and Anderson, A.J. 1998. Radiocarbon dates from archaeological rat bones: the Pleasant River case. Archaeology in Oceania, 33:88-91.

Stuiver, M., Reimer P.J. & Braziunas S. 1998. High precision radiocarbon age calibration for terrestrial and marine samples. Radiocarbon 40:1127-1151.

Stuiver, M., Reimer P.J., Bard E., Beck J.W., Burr G.S., Hughen K.A., Kromer B., McCormac F.G., van der Plicht J., & Spurk M. 1998. INTCAL98 Radiocarbon age calibration, 24 000 - 0 Cal AD. Radiocarbon 40:1041-1083.

My thanks to Dr Thomas Higham for placing these tables on the NZAA Electronic Publications Homepage.

Copyright Dr Matthew Schmidt 2000. The copyright owner agrees to permit the copying and quoting of short extracts (including illustrations) for bona fide academic work as well as for purposes of criticism and review, providing due acknowledgement is made.