Peter Petchey | University of Otago (original) (raw)

Papers by Peter Petchey

Archaeology in New Zealand, 2024

In 2023 a hand made toy boat was found during the excavation of an 1870s latrine in Dunedin, New ... more In 2023 a hand made toy boat was found during the excavation of an 1870s latrine in Dunedin, New Zealand. This boat was probably made by William Spence, a Shetland Islander, for his small children. This paper describes the boat, the background of the family, and the consideration of childhood toys in archaeological contexts.

Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 2024

In 2020 and 2021 archaeological excavations at the Drybread Cemetery in Central Otago, New Zealan... more In 2020 and 2021 archaeological excavations at the Drybread Cemetery in Central Otago, New Zealand, investigated 13 unmarked graves. Six Chinese burials were examined, one of which had been historically exhumed for repatriation to China. One grave had encountered bedrock and never been used. The other graves were a mixture of adults and infants, all of whom had lived in the Drybread area in the late nineteenth century. This paper outlines the preliminary results of the investigations, and describes the funerary traditions and basic details of the human remains.

Journal of Indo-Pacific Archaeology, 2016

The Reber-Rakival site on Watom Island is of particular significance, as it is the first place wh... more The Reber-Rakival site on Watom Island is of particular significance, as it is the first place where what is now known as Lapita pottery was found, by a German missionary in 1909. It is also significant as a Lapita-era burial site, although there has been much debate about the exact relationship between the burials and the Lapita occupation. In 2008 and 2009 an Otago University/Otago Museum/Papua New Guinea expedition carried out new excavations at the SAC site in Rakival Village, in order to increase the sample size of both burials and ceramics, and to address some of the ogoing debates. The expedition found more burials, Lapita ceramics and associated artefactual material, and while it confirmed the relationship between the burials and the Lapita occupation, it also found that previous excavations had not reached the base of the site, and evidence of human occuption was found up to 0.8m deeper than previously known. Based on this work, a refined stratigraphic sequence is presented...

Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 2021

In 1983 the grave of an unknown man was excavated in the Cromwell Gorge, Otago, New Zealand, as p... more In 1983 the grave of an unknown man was excavated in the Cromwell Gorge, Otago, New Zealand, as part of the archaeological programme of the Clutha Valley Development Project. This project culminated in the construction of the Clyde Dam, a large hydroelectric dam across the Clutha River. At the time of the excavation it was noted that the grave had been disturbed, and the skeleton was sent to the Anatomy Department at the University of Otago for study. A short report was produced, identifying the individual as a tall European male. Because no next of kin could be determined, the skeletal remains stayed in the Anatomy Department. Advances in bioarchaeological and archaeological methodology mean that a more detailed and nuanced study of this individual is now possible, and this research is presented in this paper and its companion (Buckley et al. this issue). In this paper, the life, death and burial, along with the circumstances and details of the grave disturbance are discussed. The material culture and manner of burial are typical of the nineteenth century goldfields frontier context, while the disturbance of the grave leads to the conclusion that this was a deliberate act of grave robbing, possibly to search the dead man's pockets for gold. There are no known records of such crime on the goldfields, but the archaeological evidence is unequivocal, shedding light on a previously unsuspected darker side of goldfields life.

Archaeological Research in Asia, 2022

The long period spanning the Neolithic to the Metal Age is still poorly understood in the Thai-Ma... more The long period spanning the Neolithic to the Metal Age is still poorly understood in the Thai-Malay peninsula (TMP), and current interpretations rely on limited data from a large region and a few dates obtained mainly from inland cave sites. There has yet to be any published research on estuarine and coastal contexts for this period. In 2017 The French Archaeological Mission in Peninsular Thailand carried out an excavation at Wang Duan, near Prachuap Khiri Kan on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, in order to start to fill this gap and to investigate coastal groups in the upper part of the TMP. The aim of the investigation was to study the evolution of coastal groups in relation to their involvement in exchange networks both along and across the TMP. The investigations identified traces of coastal and estuarine occupation characterized by ceramics of slightly different types and by the notable absence of human or animal bones. Occupation of these scattered sites took place during a prehistoric period that roughly corresponds to the early and late Neolithic period (corresponding elsewhere in Mainland Southeast Asia to the Bronze Age). The evolution of the ceramics and parallels with other assemblages in Thailand suggest contact during the first part of the first millennium BCE, and engagement in regional networks. This engagement appears to have led to changes in culinary (and possibly also funerary) practices in the area.

Historical Archaeology, 2021

Colonial New Zealand was built on the ideal of creating better lives for settlers. Emigrants came... more Colonial New Zealand was built on the ideal of creating better lives for settlers. Emigrants came looking to escape the shackles of the class-system and poor conditions in Industrial Revolution period Britain. Colonial propaganda claimed that most emigrants achieved their aims, but the lives the colonists actually experienced upon reaching New Zealand remain relatively unexplored from a biosocial perspective. In this paper we present a pilot study of stable isotope results of bone collagen from seven adults interred in the St. John’s Cemetery (SJM), Milton, New Zealand (ca. AD 1860–1900). We interpret the diet at Milton and broadly compare our isotopic results with contemporaneous samples from Britain. We show that, like contemporary Britain, the diet of our studied individuals was focused on C3 crops and terrestrial meat sources. Despite higher ????15N values in contemporary UK populations (which can simplistically be interpreted as indicative of higher meat intake), consideration ...

In the mid-late nineteenth century thousands flocked to the newly-established British colony of N... more In the mid-late nineteenth century thousands flocked to the newly-established British colony of New Zealand in the hope of improving their fortunes and forging a better life. While historical records give us an overview of where these people came from, in many cases the individual stories of the people who make up early colonial society have been lost. In this study we use isotopic analysis (87Sr/86Sr, lead isotopes and δ18O) and ancient DNA (aDNA) to look at three cemetery populations from early colonial Otago (South Island, New Zealand). One from an organised agricultural settlement, the other two from the Otago goldfields – associated with the early goldrush, and the later influx of Chinese miners to the area. Overall, we assessed individual origins of the people in these cemetery samples, with the aim of better understanding who came to colonial Otago, and how this relates to modern perceptions of Pākehā (non-Māori) identity in New Zealand. Our findings show that many of the ind...

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 2020

Bioarchaeology International, Jan 21, 2020

The South Island of New Zealand saw several major waves of migration in the mid-nineteenth centur... more The South Island of New Zealand saw several major waves of migration in the mid-nineteenth century, predominantly from Europe but also with an ethnically distinct Chinese presence. The rural community of Milton, Otago, was a settler community established primarily by immigrants from the United Kingdom in search of a better quality of life. However, these settlers faced unique challenges related to surviving in an isolated location with very little infrastructure compared to their origin populations. In 2016 excavation was undertaken at St. John's Burial Ground, Milton, with the object of using bioarchaeological methods to elucidate the lived experience of the first organized European settlement of this region, particularly in terms of health and disease. Here we present a case study of Burial 21 (B21), a male individual of known identity and a documented cause of death. We use biochemical and paleopathological methods to ground-truth his written history, which includes a period of invalidism due to tuberculosis, and discuss the implications of our findings for the community, provision of care, and quality of life in rural colonial New Zealand.

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Abstract Lead isotopes can be used to identify migrants in archaeological sites, and are particul... more Abstract Lead isotopes can be used to identify migrants in archaeological sites, and are particularly useful when individuals may have migrated from areas of high anthropogenic or environmental lead into lower-lead concentration environments. For this reason they are ideal for identifying first European settlers (coming from a UK Industrial Revolution context) to colonies such as New Zealand. In this study, however, we highlight how ornate Victorian burial practices may introduce lead into the burial environment. This introduced lead masks the in vivo lead isotope ratios, negating its use as an indicator of foreign origins. We show that pressed pewter (tin-lead alloy) coffin strips at the colonial site of St. John’s Milton (SJM) render all individuals isotopically “European”, despite all children at the site having been born in New Zealand.

Technology and Culture, 2019

ABSTRACT:New Zealand's gold rushes of the early 1860s followed similar rushes in California and A... more ABSTRACT:New Zealand's gold rushes of the early 1860s followed similar rushes in California and Australia, and mining technology was imported from those fields from the outset. Over the subsequent decades international mining technology was developed and improved. The question that this article asks is: how did New Zealand fit into the international hard-rock goldfields? Was it merely a follower of overseas technology, or did it participate more actively in the development of mining technology? Based on an extensive archaeological survey of surviving machinery, this article argues for a model of technological participation, which acknowledges that New Zealand was a small player, but that New Zealanders participated with agency in the mining industry, rather than simply being actors using imported machinery and technology.

Historical Archaeology

The Dunedin Causeway was a timber corduroy path found in central Dunedin, New Zealand, during an ... more The Dunedin Causeway was a timber corduroy path found in central Dunedin, New Zealand, during an archaeological investigation ahead of a mall development in 2008. The path was probably built by the first Scottish settlers to arrive in 1848, using timber cleared from the neighboring hills. Analysis of the timbers indicates that they were almost all waste species and, therefore, ideal for use in a temporary path. Using a landscape-learning framework, this article suggests that the first settlers very quickly learned about certain aspects of their new home, and this knowledge was probably acquired from publications and assistance from the few existing residents, both European and Maori (the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand). The causeway represents the early settlers’ physical efforts, their growing awareness of the landscape, the establishment of the city as an agent of colonization, and the acquisition of knowledge from local Maori, who were, perversely, being displaced by the same processes.ExtractoLa Calzada Dunedin era un camino de troncos de madera que se encontró en el centro de Dunedin (Nueva Zelanda), durante una investigación arqueológica precursora de la construcción de un centro comercial, en 2008. El camino fue construido probablemente por los primeros colonos escoceses en llegar en 1848, utilizando madera retirada de las colinas cercanas. El análisis de la madera indica que casi toda era de especies residuales y, por consiguiente, ideales para su uso en un camino temporal. Utilizando un marco de aprendizaje del paisaje, el presente artículo sugiere que los primeros colonos aprendieron muy rápidamente sobre determinados aspectos de su nuevo hogar, y este conocimiento fue adquirido probablemente mediante publicaciones, y la asistencia de los pocos residentes existentes, tanto europeos como maoríes (los habitantes indígenas de Nueva Zelanda). La calzada representa los esfuerzos físicos de los primeros colonos, su creciente conciencia del paisaje, el establecimiento de la ciudad como un agente de colonización, y la adquisición de conocimiento de los maoríes locales, quienes fueron, perversamente, desplazados por los mismos procesos.RésuméLa Dunedin Causeway était un chemin de rondins découvert dans le centre de Dunedin, en Nouvelle-Zélande, lors de recherches archéologiques avant le développement d’un centre commercial en 2008. Le chemin a probablement été construit par les premiers colons écossais arrivés en 1848 à l’aide de bois dégagé des collines voisines. L’analyse des bois indique qu’ils étaient presque tous des espèces inutilisés et, par conséquent, convenaient parfaitement pour être utilisés dans un chemin temporaire. À l’aide d’un cadre d’apprentissage de paysages, cet article donne à penser que les premiers colons ont très vite appris certains aspects de leur nouveau pays, et que cette connaissance a été acquise sans doute dans des publications et grâce à l’aide apportée par quelques résidents existants, européens et Maori (les habitants autochtones de Nouvelle-Zélande). Ce chemin représente les efforts physiques des premiers colons, leur prise de conscience croissante du paysage, l’établissement de la ville comme agent de la colonisation et l’acquisition de connaissances des Maori locaux qui ont été, paradoxalement, déplacés par les mêmes procédés.

After a healthy start in the 1980s, the last decade has seen a resurgence of archaeometallurgical... more After a healthy start in the 1980s, the last decade has seen a resurgence of archaeometallurgical research in mainland Southeast Asia. Bronze Age (c. 1000 BC to c. 500 BC), Iron Age (c. 500 BC to c. 500 AD), historic (c. 500 to c. 1500 AD), and recent ethnographic primary and secondary production sites for ferrous and non-ferrous metals have received unprecedented attention, and enormous progress has been made on reconstructing regional metal exchange networks. The country notably under-represented in this coverage has been that of Myanmar, which is highly problematic because, like most of its neighbours, it is rich in both mineral and cultural resources. It is also Myanmar that, unique amongst its neighbours, shares borders with both modern day China and India, and as such is an essential territory for the understanding of long-range technological transmissions; movements of knowledge, objects and people that may have been catalysts for major socio-political change in the region. N...

Journal of Pacific archaeology, 2018

In 2017 two unmarked historic burials were disturbed in the Cromwell Cemetery, Central Otago, and... more In 2017 two unmarked historic burials were disturbed in the Cromwell Cemetery, Central Otago, and the authors were engaged to assess, excavate and reinter these burials. Both were of adult males, probably buried in the 1890s. Both were simply buried, and showed evidence of past injuries and heavy manual labour. This paper considers the bioarchaeological and cultural (biocultural) context of these two burials, and raises the concept of the 'bioarchaeology of care' in the New Zealand goldfields. This concept is one that has been explored in prehistoric human populations elsewhere, but has not been applied in a New Zealand historical context before.

Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 2018

Archaeology in New Zealand, 2018

In April 2018 archaeological excavations were undertaken at both the 'old' and 'new' cemeteries o... more In April 2018 archaeological excavations were undertaken at both the 'old' and 'new' cemeteries of the historic goldfields town of Lawrence in Central Otago, New Zealand. The aim of the excavations was to examine the remains of 1860s goldminers, and in particular Chinese goldminers, in order to determine how they adapted to life on the goldfields frontier. This preliminary paper presents a description of what was found and some preliminary observations.

This paper describes an iron workshop and its contents, briefly introduces artefacts found during... more This paper describes an iron workshop and its contents, briefly introduces artefacts found during excavations as well as those unearthed by local villagers, compares this evidence to the contemporary evidence at Khao Sam Kaeo, and considers its place in the current understanding of iron working in mainland South East Asia both in its own right as an industrial process and in relation to the development of early complex polities.

Archaeology in New Zealand, 2024

Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 2024

Journal of Indo-Pacific Archaeology, 2016

Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 2021

Archaeological Research in Asia, 2022

Historical Archaeology, 2021

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 2020

Bioarchaeology International, Jan 21, 2020

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Technology and Culture, 2019

Historical Archaeology

Journal of Pacific archaeology, 2018

Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 2018

Archaeology in New Zealand, 2018

This thesis is an archaeological study of the stamp mill, often referred to as a ‘stamper battery... more This thesis is an archaeological study of the stamp mill, often referred to as a ‘stamper battery,’ that is one of the iconic features of New Zealand’s historic goldfields. After the Otago gold rushes started in earnest in 1861 thousands of men flocked to the alluvial diggings, and they were soon searching for the quartz reefs that they were sure were the source of the river and stream gold. Hard-rock mining started in 1862 in Otago and Coromandel, and machines were erected to crush the rock and release the gold that it (hopefully) contained. These machines were stamp mills, a mechanically simple hammer mill that raised and dropped heavy weights onto the quartz in order to reduce it to the consistency of sand. The first few mills were improvised locally from materials at hand, and these were soon followed by a number of ‘engineered’ stamp mills imported from foundries in Melbourne. A local manufacturing industry quickly grew up, and other mills were imported from Britain and America. Today many examples of these mills survive in the old goldfields in varying states of preservation. They constitute archaeological evidence of two important aspects of the goldfields: technology, and a place of work.
Much Industrial Archaeology has traditionally focussed on technological details, and this is the starting point for this research. Contemporary industry literature is used to describe and understand the engineering of the stamp mill, and this understanding is then applied to the archaeological record. The results of a wide-scale survey that covered sites from Fiordland in the south to the Coromandel in the north are considered in terms of technological adoption, adaption and innovation in order to determine how and why gold milling technology came to New Zealand. The results indicate that the majority of the technology was imported, with Australia acting as a source of conventional technology, and Britain and America as sources of more innovative designs. However, far from being completely technologically dependent on these places, it is argued that New Zealand was a technological participant in the international mining industry. There is ample archaeological evidence for local agency in New Zealand, whereby technology was chosen and adapted to suit local requirements, with some local designs then being re-exported. New Zealand was admittedly never more than small player in this international field, but it was nevertheless an active one.

The thesis then turns to the second issue: the stamp mill as a workplace. Since the 1970s commentators have pointed out that Industrial Archaeology should take note of social issues in the industrial world, but much subsequent work has been criticised because of its focus on technology and structures. By taking the same engineering analysis of the archaeological evidence of the New Zealand stamp mills as used in the discussion of technology, the mill as a place where people worked is considered. Evidence of wear, repair, modification and pragmatic adaption is discussed to identify the work that was actually carried out by the mill workers, and detailed volumetric analysis of various mill parts is used to quantify some of the tasks in relation to contemporary records of workmen’s abilities. Finally, the workplace environment is also considered, including hazards such as noise, dust and poisons. The results of this, unsurprisingly, find that the battery house was by modern standards a very dangerous place. However, it is also observed that in a world without social welfare, the battery house represented employment and income that was vital for the working man and his family.

In conclusion, the stamp mill is part of an archaeological landscape that has both international links and individual social meaning. Modern New Zealand society evolved in melting pot of the nineteenth century, and the gold mining industry played an important role in that development. The combination of evidence of international influence and local agency in mining technology, and the role and experiences of the mill workers, provides a small insight into the emergence of the complex modern world.

This reports describes the buildings archaeology of three 1870s cottages in Mornington, Dunedin N... more This reports describes the buildings archaeology of three 1870s cottages in Mornington, Dunedin New Zealand. All three were built as working class homes in the late 1870s, and were demolished in 2023. Evidence of their original construction details, timbers used, and decorative elements (including wallpapers and fireplaces) are described. Excavation of a latrine behind 5 Brunel Street found an 1880s domestic assemblage associated with William and Elizabeth Spence, Shetland Islanders who emigrated to NZ in 1875. Included in the assemblage was a toy boat made from kauri, probably carved by William Spence for his children.

This report describes three double bay villas, all built in about 1898 on contiguous properties, ... more This report describes three double bay villas, all built in about 1898 on contiguous properties, that were demolished in 2023 to be replaced by a high-density townhouse development. The report described their histories, design, construction materials and structure, in order to place them within the context of nineteenth century New Zealand domestic architecture and building practice.

Station Peak Station is an historic farm located in the Waitaki Valley that was established in th... more Station Peak Station is an historic farm located in the Waitaki Valley that was established in the 1860s. It has been owned by the Pavletich family since the 1920s, who now operate a dairy operation on the river flats. The historic station buildings are in two main clusters: the homestead and the cottage. During 2022-2023 Mike & Olivia Pavletich extensively renovated the Cottage prior to moving in to it. The house is an L-shaped stone structure that was built in the 1860s, that had two twentieth century extensions to the rear. The 2022/23 renovations included the removal of these additions and their replacement with new structures, together with extensive refitting work (including a new roof) on the stone part of the house. Stripping of the interior of the house allowed original finishes and construction details to be recorded, showing how the west wing was built first, and initially was very sparse inside with simple whitewashed plastered walls and exposed roof framing.

The Dunedin Causeway (archaeological site I44/469) was found during archaeological investigations... more The Dunedin Causeway (archaeological site I44/469) was found during archaeological investigations at the Wall Street Mall site in central Dunedin in 2008. After its discovery it was decided to lift and conserve approximately half the causeway, and install a set-down permanent display of some of the timbers in the completed mall, but this never eventuated. In 2020 the design was revisited, and a new and much larger climate-controlled display area was designed, which would accommodate approximately half of the causeway. During the excavation for the new display area a number of intact archaeological features were found, including several timbers posts and a timber roof shingle. These were left in place and reburied beneath the new display. The conserved timbers were reassembled in place in June 2021, and the completed display formally opened in August 2021.

The Bullendale hydro-electric power scheme was constructed in 1885-1886 in the Richardson Mountai... more The Bullendale hydro-electric power scheme was constructed in 1885-1886 in the Richardson Mountains near Queenstown in New Zealand, and was the country's first industrial hydro-electric power station. In 2021-22 the Wakatipu Heritage Trust erected a replica powerhouse at the site to protect the surviving original generating equipment. This report describes the site history, the archaeological work carried out during the reconstruction project, and the new powerhouse structure.

This report describes the history and structure of 9 Warrender Street, Dunedin , New Zealand. Thi... more This report describes the history and structure of 9 Warrender Street, Dunedin , New Zealand. This was a small 1870s timber villa on the edge of the North Dunedin Flat that was demolished in late 2021. It was a good example of a small Victorian villa that occupied the middle ground between the small working class cottages on the flat and the more expensive house on the hillsides above. It was constructed from native timbers, including totara, rimu, miro and matai, illustrating how New Zealand's native forests were being extensively felled in this period to supply the growth of the cities.

The house at 8 Agnew Street North Dunedin was a small double-bay timber villa that was built in t... more The house at 8 Agnew Street North Dunedin was a small double-bay timber villa that was built in the early 1880s (probably 1883) at the top of the small hill that stands on the west side of Logan Park in North Dunedin. Logan Park was originally Pelichet Bay, but was enclosed to form Lake Logan in the 1880s, and then was fully reclaimed in the 1920s to provide a site for the 1925-26 New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition.
In 2021 the house was demolished and a shell midden was found beneath it, consisting mainly of tuangi/tuaki cockle shells (Austrovenus stutchburyi). Sometime prior to the residential development of the Agnew Street hill and the pollution and reclamation of Pelichet Bay someone gathered cockles in the bay and then sat on top of the hill for a meal (or meals), throwing the empty shells down the slope behind them. The hilltop spot would then have had an excellent view across Pelichet Bay and the head of the Otago Harbour.

Between 2018 and 2021 Urban Cohousing Otepoti has constructed a housing development based on comm... more Between 2018 and 2021 Urban Cohousing Otepoti has constructed a housing development based on community living and sustainability at the site of the old High Street School on High Street, Dunedin. This was originally the location of James Paterson’s ‘Essequibo’ property established in 1860, and between 1886 and 2011 it was the location of the High Street School, and the wooden school building that stood there between 1886 and 1983 is reputed to have been the largest wooden two storey school building in New Zealand.

Archaeological investigations were carried out at various times during the construction, and an Accidental Discovery Protocol was in place for bulk excavation. It was found that the site had between one and two metres of clay fill placed upon it for the 1885/86 school development, and this material needed to be excavated and a buried topsoil removed, before the clay was replaced and compacted.

Evidence of the 1886 High Street School foundations was found within this clay fill. Below the clay fill, in and on the old topsoil, several rubbish concentrations and an old fenceline associated with the occupation of Essequibo were found. The artefactual material included ceramics and glass of the 1860s period. The archaeological features and artefactual material help interpret how this part of Dunedin has changed and developed over the past 160 years.

In 2020 the Clutha District Council replaced the stone abutments of the Tuapeka Mouth Bridge wit... more In 2020 the Clutha District Council replaced the stone abutments of the Tuapeka Mouth Bridge with concrete structures. The old bridge consisted of elements of different ages: the deck and one pier were modern, but the abutments were probably built in 1882, and a major reconstruction programme in 1910 added a buttress to one abutment and a concrete pier.

Archaeological investigations and recording undertaken during the 2020 rebuild project found archaeological evidence of historic settlement of the area encapsulated below the 1880s approach embankments.

The investigations also identified the early used of concrete in the 1882 bridge abutments, where it had been used as a substitute for stone in the quoins. This early concrete use had been very simple, illustrating the conservative use of this relatively new building material, as each quoin had been individually cast in place and no attempt had been made to secure them together. The Tuapeka County Engineer, William Smaill, was probably responsible for this transitional use of concrete: it is recorded that he was well aware of the decay issues of early timber bridges and was advocating for the use of more durable materials. The 1910 rebuild utilised concrete in a far more evolved way, with a buttress around the southern abutment and one river pier being cast in place. By this time the use of concrete in bridge construction was widespread, but its use here conveniently illustrates the evolution in engineering practice in early New Zealand in a single structure.

Therefore, overall the Tuapeka Bridge was an interesting example of the transitional use of concrete for construction work in New Zealand, showing an initial use in the 1880s simply as an alternative to stone, but a more advanced used by 1910 as a strong and versatile building material in its own right. This evolution probably reflects both the overall knowledge of the new material in the engineering profession in New Zealand at the time, and at a more local level the developing knowledge and experience of the local county council engineers.

The house at 11 Hyde Street North Dunedin was a small two-bay timber cottage (latterly roughcast)... more The house at 11 Hyde Street North Dunedin was a small two-bay timber cottage (latterly roughcast) that was probably built in 1879 or 1880 by John Kirk, an engine driver. It was subsequently occupied by a series of tenants and owner-occupiers, until it became used as a university student rental property in the 1990s.

In about 2010 the house joined the ranks of named students flats, a trend documented by Gallagher & Chapman in their 2019 book ‘Scarfie Flats of Dunedin.’ Initially (briefly) named ‘Bananas & Pyjamas,’ the house spent most of the decade named ‘Hydechella,’ a play on the Coachella music festival in the USA.

The house was demolished in mid-2020 and replaced with modern accommodation units. Prior to demolition invasive investigations were made into the original part of the house to examine its construction details, and the site excavations during the construction of new foundations were monitored. A small scattering of historic period artefacts was found, but no distinct features were identified. This was possibly due to the extensive site modifications carried out in the 1990s.

In 2019 a small 1880s bay cottage at 90 Harrow Street was demolished and replaced with new apartm... more In 2019 a small 1880s bay cottage at 90 Harrow Street was demolished and replaced with new apartment units. The house was recorded prior to demolition, and the site was subject to archaeological monitoring during the excavation for new foundations. Five rubbish pits were found, four dating to the late 1870s and one the mid-twentieth century.

The house at 90 Harrow Street was a small bay cottage that was built in about 1880. It had been altered slightly, but still presented a largely original street frontage apart from the replacement of the front door and one window. It was built using the typical timber framing of the period, notably with wall framing that was constructed using mortise and tenon joints.

The house had been built on what were the grounds of William Dick Murison’s house on Clyde Street. Murison had been a member of the General Assembly, a cricketer and the editor of the Otago Daily Times. After his death in 1877 his property was subdivided into small urban sections, one of which was 90 Harrow Street. Excavation found four rubbish pits that appear to be associated with the Murison household, which contained mostly bottle glass and table ceramics. Several matching items in the pits indicate that the household was using matched sets of tableware, not unexpected in a middle-class family.

Overall the investigations illustrate some of the townscape and social changes that occurred in North Dunedin during the late nineteenth century.

In 2018 a small brick house at 98 Harrow Street was demolished and replaced by three new apartmen... more In 2018 a small brick house at 98 Harrow Street was demolished and replaced by three new apartment units. The brick house had been built in ca.1919-1920, but the property had been occupied since the 1850s, and as such an archaeological investigation was required during the earthworks for the new apartments. This investigation found evidence of occupation from the late nineteenth century into the early twentieth century. Two rubbish pits in particular straddled the millennia. They both contained decorated ceramic tablewares and glass bottles, but of different natures reflecting the period in which they were deposited. The older pit contained decorated earthenware table ceramics, bottles that were still partially hand-made and evidence of the consumption of mutton; the newer pit also contained decorated ceramics, but with mostly different styles, and machine-made bottles that were quite distinct from earlier forms, including several bottles that held Speights Beer.

The relatively small amount of deposited rubbish on the property was probably at least in part the result of having the foreshore nearby: investigations during the construction of the nearby Emerson’s Brewery, on what had originally been the tidal foreshore, showed how this area was extensively used to dump domestic rubbish (Farminer 2016). Some of this rubbish may even have originated at 98 Harrow Street.

While unfortunately the excavation found nothing that could be connected with the most notable occupant, Ebenezer Erskine Brown, it does increase our knowledge of the urban development of this part of Dunedin, and taken with other nearby excavations show how the interplay between the occupied dry land and nearby tidal foreshore was important for the disposal of domestic rubbish, which has implications for the archaeological interpretation of early Dunedin domestic life.

Johnston's United Battery is a 20 stamp gold battery in the Nelson region of New Zealand. In 2011... more Johnston's United Battery is a 20 stamp gold battery in the Nelson region of New Zealand. In 2011 the Department of Conservation carried out considerable reconstruction work on the timber foundations of the battery, which were very decayed. This report describes the excavation work undertaken, and records the structure of the original and replacement foundations.

This report details a small archaeological excavation carried out in March 2020 at Larnach's Farm... more This report details a small archaeological excavation carried out in March 2020 at Larnach's Farmstead on the Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, New Zealand. The aim of the excavation was to confirm where the original entrance to the farmyard was, and to determine whether archaeological evidence of the original building survived.

This paper details the results of archaeological investigations at the site of William Swinney's ... more This paper details the results of archaeological investigations at the site of William Swinney's cottage in Cambrians, Central Otago. The original mud brick cottage was probably built in the 1870s, and a corrugated iron forward extension was added in the early twentieth century. The derelict cottage has recently been restored and is now in use as a holiday house.

This report details the results of archaeological excavation at 4 Titan Street, North Dunedin, un... more This report details the results of archaeological excavation at 4 Titan Street, North Dunedin, undertaken prior to the construction of a new house on the property. A late nineteenth century rubbish pit was found, which contained well-preserved items of men's clothing.

The building at 5 Willis Street in the wharf area of Dunedin was constructed in ca.1899 and demol... more The building at 5 Willis Street in the wharf area of Dunedin was constructed in ca.1899 and demolished in 2016. It was a plain brick commercial store that was extremely functional in its design, and was built with little ornamentation. It was remodelled in the 1940s, and this added a small amount of contemporary detailing.
Archaeological investigation of the site of the building showed that it had been an area of open ground from when it was first reclaimed from the head of Otago Harbour in the early 1870s until the construction of the store. The reclamation in this area appears to have been carried out using rock and clay derived from excavations nearby in Dunedin. Once reclaimed, the area was used to dump a large amount of coal ash (approximately 400m3) that was almost certainly from the neighbouring W. Gregg & Co. coffee and spice mill. Within this ash deposit were several discrete historic rubbish features, including a domestic rubbish deposit, a roofing slate deposit and an oyster shell deposit. It appears that this area of waste ground was a semi-formal dumping ground for Gregg’s coal ash, and an occasional informal dump for domestic and commercial rubbish.

In 2015 test trenches were cut across several early water races that ran across the Earnscleugh F... more In 2015 test trenches were cut across several early water races that ran across the Earnscleugh Flat in Central Otago, New Zealand. These races were probably cut during the gold rushes of the early 1860s to take water from the Fraser River to the workings on the high banks of the Clutha River. The excavations found that these early races were very shallow and quickly dug, in contrast to later water races, some of which were much more substantially engineered.

In 2016 the historic brick stable building between Crawford and Princes Streets in dunedin was re... more In 2016 the historic brick stable building between Crawford and Princes Streets in dunedin was restored and refitted as a boutique brewery. Excavations on the site were subject to archaeological monitoring, and part of the original cobbled stable floor was found. this report details the floor and assorted artefacts also unearthed.

In 2015 a timber-lined well and associated timber-lined pit (possibly a cistern) was found during... more In 2015 a timber-lined well and associated timber-lined pit (possibly a cistern) was found during earthquake strengthening work at 237 Moray Place, Dunedin, New Zealand. This report describes the archaeological features found during this work, including the well and other 1860s building foundations and artefacts.

The two storey Edwardian villa at 13 Durham Street was built in 1912 as a new Vicarage for St. Ma... more The two storey Edwardian villa at 13 Durham Street was built in 1912 as a new Vicarage for St. Mary's Church, Mornington. It was sold by the church in 1973, and was demolished in 2022 to make way for a residential apartment complex. This report described the history and exterior of the old vicarage building.

Kirkland's Cottage was a mid-1860s clay brick one-and-a-half storey farm cottage at Woodside on ... more Kirkland's Cottage was a mid-1860s clay brick one-and-a-half storey farm cottage at Woodside on the Taieri Plain near Dunedin, New Zealand. In 2021 the cottage was demolished and replaced by a new farmhouse, but prior to and during demolition the old house was recorded in detail. It was a well-made structure, with triple-brick unfired clay brick walls, which were securely braced by the floor joists, upper floor and roof structure. Of note is that it had no below-ground foundations: it simply sat on a cleared solid clay platform, with a stone damp-proof course built in to the lower wall. Overall it was an excellent example of an early farmhouse built using techniques that, while not used now, proved to be very effective in this case.

In 2019 a small timber cottage in North Dunedin was demolished. This house had originally been bu... more In 2019 a small timber cottage in North Dunedin was demolished. This house had originally been built in the early 1870s as a typical small colonial cottage, but in the 1920s it received a considerable 'makeover' by a new owner in a more Arts and Crafts style. This report describes the fabric of the cottage and the changes that it underwent due to the increasing affluence of its owners and changes in fashion. In addition, under the floors of the cottage evidence of past occupants photographic hobby was discovered, including Kodak dry plate holders and a complete Gaumont cinematograph arc lamp and spare carbon rods.

The house at 45 Grange Street North Dunedin was a small cottage that was built in the early 1870s... more The house at 45 Grange Street North Dunedin was a small cottage that was built in the early 1870s by Hubert Ferguson, almost certainly as a rental property. It was subsequently occupied by a series of tenants and owner-occupiers, until it became used as a university student rental property in the 1990s. It was demolished in 2019 to allow redevelopment of the site, again for student accommodation.

Originally a typical small 1870s cottage with a central front door flanked by symmetrical sash windows, two major modifications were carried out to the house during its life: in 1927 the original front windows were replaced by two bay windows; and in 1997 a large extension was added to the rear of the house.

Part of the historic McCallum's building in Oamaru was demolished in 2019 due to its poor structu... more Part of the historic McCallum's building in Oamaru was demolished in 2019 due to its poor structural condition. This report describes the building and the partial demolition. The overall structure consisted of three sections: a front office, a central boiler and chimney, and a rear store. All were built from limestone masonry. The rear store section was removed in 2019.

A large late nineteenth century timber villa at 87 Cargill Street, Dunedin, was demolished in 201... more A large late nineteenth century timber villa at 87 Cargill Street, Dunedin, was demolished in 2017. As it pre-dated 1900 an Archaeological Authority was required for this work, and one of the conditions of this authority was that a record be made of the structure. This report details the history and changes through time of this house.

A series of site descriptions carried out in 2003 for the New Zealand Historic Places Trust to pr... more A series of site descriptions carried out in 2003 for the New Zealand Historic Places Trust to provide information for the registration of several historic Chinese sites in the Otago Goldfields. This report described the hut used in the film 'Illustrious Energy,' Lye Bow's orchard near Alexandra, and Wong Gong's Terrace in the Shooter valley.

This report describes a small 1890s working class cottage in South Dunedin that was demolished in... more This report describes a small 1890s working class cottage in South Dunedin that was demolished in 2017. The house was built by a carpenter, who sourced second hand timbers for its construction, and it had a very lightly built roof structure (also using recycled timbers), but the exterior style and finish conformed to standard late Victorian standards. Subsequent modification removed many of the details such as the original windows, but the 1890s form could still be determined through examination of the structure.

In 2015 an 1880 timber villa at 29 Queen Street was demolished. The house had originally been nam... more In 2015 an 1880 timber villa at 29 Queen Street was demolished. The house had originally been named 'Parihaka House' after the Taranaki Village where local Maori used passive resistance to oppose the government seizure of their land. This report details the buildings archaeology of the house, and complements the published account of the interpretation and meaning of the name of the house and its design (Petchey & Brosnahan 2016).

In 1995 an archaeological survey was carried out at Island Block in Central Otago, New Zealand. T... more In 1995 an archaeological survey was carried out at Island Block in Central Otago, New Zealand. This survey recorded evidence of an extensive water supply system that fed a hydraulic sluicing and elevating gold mining operation at Island Block, beside the Clutha River. The Island Block Company was formed in the late 1880s, and constructed an extensive network of dams, water races and pipelines to supply their gold workings. In 1995 evidence of this system was recorded, including a number of the patented jointed water pipes that were commented on in some detail in contemporary reports.

The Bannockburn Sluicings Historic Reserve is located near the small settlement of Bannockburn on... more The Bannockburn Sluicings Historic Reserve is located near the small settlement of Bannockburn on the southern side of the Kawarau Arm of Lake Dunstan (previously the Kawarau River) about six kilometres south- west of Cromwell, in Central Otago, New Zealand.The reserve contains extensive examples of alluvial gold mining, with a number of mining techniques represented including tunnelling, ground sluicing and hydraulic sluicing. Excellent evidence of water management is present, including the large Menzies Dam, and Stewart Town represents the domestic lives of the gold miners. Overall the reserve contains physical (archaeological) evidence of many aspects of nineteenth century alluvial gold mining.

This report discusses the history of the settlement of Kingston at the head of Lake Wakatipu in N... more This report discusses the history of the settlement of Kingston at the head of Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand, and identified features and buildings of historical significance. These include the preserved Kingston Flyer steam engines and the remnant of the Kingston Branch Railway. The report was prepared in 2007 as part of the background work for a proposed change to the District Plan.

The Quartz Reef Point Historic Reserve protects what is probably the best set of surviving herrin... more The Quartz Reef Point Historic Reserve protects what is probably the best set of surviving herringbone tailings in the Otago Goldfields. The reserve is located on a terrace on the south side of the Clutha River (now Lake Dunstan), about five kilometres north-west of Cromwell, in Central Otago. The tailings are also known as the Northburn Tailings, after Northburn Station on which they were located until the historic reserve was created in 1978. This report discusses the known history of the area, the archaeological evidence, and the historical, physical and cultural significance of the tailings.

The bridge over the Taieri River near Hyde, in Otago, New Zealand, was constructed in 1879 and re... more The bridge over the Taieri River near Hyde, in Otago, New Zealand, was constructed in 1879 and remains in service. It consists of a central wrought iron lattice truss span and two approach spans, with stacked stone abutments. The Dunedin City Council carried out major repairs in 2013, and this report details the history, original form and modifications to the bridge.

The barque Derry Castle was wrecked on Enderby Island, the northernmost of the Auckland Islands g... more The barque Derry Castle was wrecked on Enderby Island, the northernmost of the Auckland Islands group, in March 1887. Eight of the 23 men aboard got ashore alive, and lived as castaways for four months until they were rescued. Five of the victims of the sinking were buried near the reef where the Derry Castle foundered. This report considers the grave of the victims within the wider geographical and historical contexts, including all of the places that the castaways lived during their sojourn ashore.

Preservation Inlet is located in Fiordland National Park in southwest New Zealand. It was the sit... more Preservation Inlet is located in Fiordland National Park in southwest New Zealand. It was the site of a number of gold mining enterprises in the late nineteenth century, all of which had closed by the early years of the twentieth century. The area has now reverted to forest, but two intact stamp mills and numerous other relics of the mining operations remain in this forest. This archaeological survey was carried out for the New Zealand Department of Conservation in 2004, and details the archaeological evidence for the Morning Star, Golden Site and Alpha mines.

The wreck of the Grafton and the associated site of the castaway’s hut ‘Epigwaitt’ are located in... more The wreck of the Grafton and the associated site of the castaway’s hut ‘Epigwaitt’ are located in Carnley Harbour at the southern end of Auckland Island. The Grafton was wrecked in January 1864, and is the great success story of the Auckland Island shipwrecks as all of the crew survived and eventually got back to civilisation, in stark contrast to some of the other wrecks on the island where many people died both in the sea and on land. The publication of the accounts of both the captain (Musgrave 1866) and first mate (Raynal 1892) have ensured that the events surrounding the castaways’ time on the island are well documented. This report describes the history, archaeological evidence and historical significance of the site.

The Invincible Mine and Battery and the associated Otago Pyrites Saving Company’s buddle (also re... more The Invincible Mine and Battery and the associated Otago Pyrites Saving Company’s buddle (also referred to as a ‘rotating convex table’ and a ‘concentrator’) are located on the western flank of the Richardson Mountains (which in turn defines the eastern side of the Rees Valley) about 17 kilometres north of Glenorchy. The gold mine opened in 1880, and operated intermittently until the mid-1890s, with sporadic prospecting continuing until about 1937. The sites are notable for the intact set of seven Berdans at the battery house, which is the largest surviving array of Berdans in New Zealand, and the buddle on the valley floor, which is the most intact gold-saving buddle in New Zealand.

In 2018 an archaeological survey of the main Antipodes Island was undertaken. This included detai... more In 2018 an archaeological survey of the main Antipodes Island was undertaken. This included detailed recording of the 1886 castaway depot hut, the south coast sealers’ camp, the South Bay castaway cave, and five fingerposts. The south coast campsite is one of the earliest intact European sealing sites in New Zealand, which alone makes it highly significant. The results of the survey illustrates the efforts that people made to survive in this harsh and unforgiving environment and also demonstrate how our relationship with the islands has changed over time, from a place of unbridled exploitation 200 years ago to having the highest level of legal protection for natural values today.

Life and Death in Early Rural Otago., 2022

This book describes the investigation of St John’s Cemetery near Milton in Otago, southern New Ze... more This book describes the investigation of St John’s Cemetery near Milton in Otago, southern New Zealand, that was carried out in 2016 as part of a wider study of early settler graves in the region. The cemetery was opened in 1860 and has been disused since 1926, and contains the burials of some of the first European (predominantly British) settlers in the area. In collaboration with a local group of descendants Petchey and Buckley carried out an excavation that located and investigated 25 unmarked graves containing 27 individuals. By combining archaeological, historical and bioarchaeological approaches a detailed picture of the lives of these people has been built up, giving insights into the experience of leaving the Old World and emigrating to New Zealand in the mid nineteenth century. This is the first detailed investigation of this nature to have been conducted in New Zealand, and provides a unique insight into the settler experience.