Eldorado Posted February 10, 2014 #1 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) "Archaeologists have dug up New Zealand's oldest school, revealing 200-year-old toys, pencils and parts of writing slates. The school was attached to the country's first mission station, which stood at Hohi Bay in the Bay of Islands from 1814 to 1832. After two years of field work, University of Otago archaeologists excavated the mission, which is believed to be the house of European missionary Thomas Kendall. Artefacts including glass, buttons, jewellery, smoking pipes, fragments from plates and cups, coins and gunflints were found." Full article: http://www.news.com....i-1226822387431 Project: http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago064921.html Am envious. That must have been so much fun. Edited February 10, 2014 by Eldorado 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taniwha Posted February 27, 2014 #2 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Am envious. That must have been so much fun. From the links above Prof Smith says, "Overall the archaeological evidence paints a picture of the hard struggle that these first European settlers had in making a living here, and how dependent they were on local Maori for food supplies and protection." Just made me think how much of a 'hard struggle' their lives actually were compared to the confines of months at sea and an over populated, industrialised and unsanitary. England. How idyllic their lives would have been given the knowledge and protection of the Maori in such a beautiful location. Their never ending access to mollusscs, fish and birds to me sounds a lot like paradise. The beauty of the native girls, oh yess, them native girlies, was not lost to these flesh and blood missionaries either. The unearthing of coins means trade was apparent. Though at the time, it was known to be even flourishing in barter exchanges with Maori actively involved in timber, flax and potatoes for domestic and international trade with sealers and whalers and even the British navy. Ahhh how I wish I was there back then. Thanks for the links Eldorado it is always good to know whats happening in the back yard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taniwha Posted February 27, 2014 #3 Share Posted February 27, 2014 (edited) Just dug this info up.... ....Here is a very insightful radio interview on RNZ. Chief archaeologist Ian Smith highlights the dig.... .... http://www.radionz.c.../player/2559827 .... the referred to RNZ photo gallery.... http://www.radionz.c...es/hohi-mission ....Also this photo record of the excavations.... https://www.facebook...imissionstation Edited February 27, 2014 by taniwha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted February 28, 2014 Author #4 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Just dug this info up.... Thanks for the links, taniwha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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