The Takiroa Rock Art Shelter is an archaeological site located along State Highway 83 near Duntroon, New Zealand.[2] The site features a limestone rock shelter containing several pieces of Māori rock art, dating between 1400 and 1900 AD.[3] The shelter is open to public viewing, with fences constructed to protect the artwork from damage.
Takiroa Rock Art Shelter | |
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Type | Rock art |
Location | Canterbury, New Zealand |
Coordinates | 44°50′34.41″S 170°38′41.91″E / 44.8428917°S 170.6449750°E |
Location of Takiroa Rock Art Shelter in New Zealand | |
Designated | 16 April 1985[1] |
Reference no. | 5653 |
The Takiroa Historic Area features several Māori drawings made from ochre, bird fat, and charcoal.[2][3] The subject matter present in the shelter is variable. Some drawings have been interpreted as people and animals, such as birds.[4] Depictions of European settlers are also apparent, which feature the likes of horses and ships.[4]
Several pieces of artwork were removed from the rockface around 1913 for display in museum collections.[3][5] Fences were erected in 1930 and 1964 in order to prevent damage to the artwork by livestock and visitors, however these measures were generally ineffective.[3] Heritage New Zealand (then known as the New Zealand Historic Places Trust), which managed the shelter, listed it as a Category II Historic Place in 1985.[1] Under the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998, the Crown vested administration of the shelter to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.[6]
In May 2010, a large portion of overhanging rock at the Takiroa Shelter fell, destroying the protective fences but leaving the rock art relatively unscathed.[7] The shelter was subsequently closed to the public until March 2012, after repairs were completed.[8]