Motutapu archaeological & historic landscapes: Heritage assessment
Historic heritage topics::
Published:
2008
The island was extensively used for gardening from at least 1400 by Ngati tai the principal iwi. The Sunde 'footprints' site is a widely acclaimed archaeological site. The 1936 military fortifications survive relatively complete including a rare set of 12 barracks buildings.
Summary
Motutapu Island
The archaeological sites date back to early Polynesian times, and include one of the most acclaimed sites in New Zealand - the 'Sunde site' from which ash footprints have been excavated. The landscape is significant as one of New Zealand's first systematic, archaeological site recording projects. The WWII military landscape survives relatively complete and includes the coastal defence battery, US Navy ammunition bunks, and a artillery camp.
One of a series of Heritage Assessments by Andy Dodd depicting historic heritage sites in the Auckland Region. Each constitutes descriptions of: history and fabric; cultural connections; historic context and significance explanations; management history and recommendations; information sources and references; a map and definitive photographs and a chronology of events.
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Publication information
Author: Andy Dodd, Department of Conservation, Auckland Conservancy
ISBN: 978-0-478-14473-4 (web PDF)