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Story: Te Whakatōhea

Midden at Waiōtahe

Midden at Waiōtahe

In 1988 an archaeologist found whale bone at the bottom of this midden on Waiōtahe River, just east of Ōhiwa Harbour. This appeared to date from about 500 years earlier. The majority of the other shells were pipi, which people still collect from the estuary. This suggests a continuous use of the shellfish for half a millennium.

About this item

New Zealand Historic Places Trust - Pouhere Taonga
Photograph by Rick McGovern-Wilson

Permission of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Pouhere Taonga must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

How to cite this page:

Ranginui Walker. 'Te Whakatōhea', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 30-Jan-12
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/te-whakatohea/1/3