Description

Introducing general readers to New Zealand archaeology, Pakeha Settlements in a Maori World tells the story of the first European encounters with a new land. This is a fascinating approach to history through material culture, documenting a period of dramatic change in these South Pacific islands.

From the scant physical signs of first contact – including the early Cook voyages – the history is traced through the ephemeral habitations of `sojourning settlers' to the settlements of missionaries and colonisers, and on to the towns and government establishments of the mid nineteenth century. While the focus is on Pakeha settlement, the encompassing Maori world is present throughout – as the story of cultural encounter emerges from the archaeology narrative.

Glimpses of a country in the midst of turbulent change abound in this richly illustrated book. Based on impeccable scholarship, this is a wonderful overview of New Zealand archaeology in the period.