Very Old Maori Rock Drawings

"Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of images of Maori rock drawings on this page." Images are from the Maori rock drawings album, reference number PA1-o-330. Note: All drawings in these images are black.

Much of the known Maori rock drawing is in the South Canterbury and North Otago region. Charcoal and also red & yellow ochre pigments were used. Dried pigments were prone to disintegration and fading however other pigments were mixed with an oil binder suggesting a desire to make the images more durable. The drawings were often of human figures, moa and bird-like figures, fish, taniwha, the huge extinct pouakai (or Haast's Eagle), canoes and mythological figures.

There are over 550 known sites in the south island and 95% are on private land. It is thought many such images are 700 to 1000 years old and as such it would be interesting to compare them to other Pacific Island drawings of the same period.

Correction notices to web@nhc.net.nz.

 

Dreamtime Dog and Lizard. Photograph Theo Schoon, 1948. Opihi River Canterbury. Reference number: PA1-o-330-09. Note conditions of image use at top of page.
Photograph Theo Schoon, 1948. Monkey Face Reserve. Reference number: PA1-o-330-73. Note conditions of image use at top of page.
Photograph Theo Schoon, 1948. Monkey Face Reserve. Reference number: PA1-o-330-72. Note conditions of image use at top of page.
Photograph Theo Schoon, 1948. Opihi River Canterbury. Reference number: PA1-o-330-34. Note conditions of image use at top of page.