#nzarchaeology

[archaeocart-blog]

A short jaunt from Napier and Hastings close to Taradale lies something quite amazing. Otatara Pā – (“Pā ” any Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hill forts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive terraces – even this broad definition is debated among archaeologists). The pā complex covers over 40 hectares and even to the casual observer the remains of terraces, dwelling sites and food storage pits are visible. Archaeologically it has strong significance being one of the oldest pā complexes in New Zealand (approximately settled between 1400 and 1500) that has retained its features over time. The aerial is dated to 1951. Source NZMS 3 Sheet N134-3 was sourced from the UoA geodatahub and is subject to re-use under attribution CC-BY 3.0. #aerial #aerialimage #history #heritage #aerialphotography #archaeology #newzealand #aotearoa #hawkesbay #nzarchaeology #pacificarchaeology