The Tongaporutu Rock Carvings (petroglyphs) were ancient Maori(?) rock carvings in caves on the Taranaki coast. Practically all have now been destroyed through a neglectful lack of preservation by the New Zealand authorities. Nice one!

An article taken from TVNZ

- Published: 6:33PM Thursday July 05, 2007
- Source: One News

NOTE: Own emphasis added

High seas wash away ancient carvings

One of the last examples of ancient rock carvings on the northern Taranaki coast has been destroyed by heavy seas.

The carvings have up until now been preserved in seaside caves at Tongaporutu, but locals discovered they had been destroyed after recent high seas undermined the cave’s edges.

Maori believe the carvings are thousands of years old and many locals remember them from when they played in the caves as children.

“They are the last signs of what we know as te kahui potama, which are the ancient people and they were known as the maeroa,” says Ngati Wai spokesperson Haumoana White.

The hapu knows of one last cave with similar carvings and is now trying to get it officially recognised and preserved.

“We believe that a possible world heritage conservation covenant should be put onto it,” says White.

Locals also say the last of the rock carvings need to be protected not only from the sea, but also from vandals.

Auckland Museum researchers, who removed rock carvings from another cave for storage, say they cannot be sure how old they are or whether they pre-date the Maori waka migration.

Questions:

• I would have thought competent museum researchers could determine the date of rock carvings. This has been successfully done all over the world, so why not in New Zealand?
• Are we hiding something or just utterly incompetent?