Aotearoa New Zealand’s coastal archaeological heritage: A geostatistical overview of threatened sites

Abstract

Coastal hazards threaten properties, infrastructure, and cultural sites around Aotearoa New Zealand’s (hereafter Aotearoa) coastline and sea-level rise (SLR) will escalate this problem. At present it is unclear how archaeological sites will be affected by future coastal erosion and inundation.

In this paper we combine national-scale archaeological and environmental datasets to provide a first-pass overview of archaeological heritage at risk in Aotearoa, to provide insights into the sensitivity of coastal archaeology to SLR and associated hazards. This information is vital to planning for the loss of coastal archaeological sites.

In total, ca. 12% (9054) of all known archaeological sites are within 1000 m of soft shore shorelines. Of this total, about 22% (1954) are located on landforms that are sensitive to SLR-driven erosion and therefore vulnerable to permanent removal. Of this total, only about 3% (302) of sites are burials, but the loss of these 302 burial sites would have very high cultural impact.

This work draws attention to the scale of coastal archaeology in Aotearoa that needs adequate documentation, preservation, and potentially protection in the face of SLR. Robust coastal erosion and inundation datasets are needed to more deeply understand potential SLR-driven impacts on coastal archaeology and to provide a scientific foundation for considering future adaptation options.