Rogers, K.M.; Thomson, J.; Campbell, H.J.; Mahara, B.; McLeod, O.; Bradshaw, D. 2021 Geochemical characterisation of Maori artefacts from Kawhia Museum, New Zealand using pXRF. Lower Hutt, N.Z.: GNS Science. GNS Science report 2021/22. 63 p.; doi: 10.21420/TAGA-1Q26
Abstract:
Non-destructive portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) was used to geochemically characterise 160 indigenous Maori stone artefacts residing in the Kawhia Museum. Geochemical comparisons were made to determine relationships between artefacts and assign lithology and origin based on their elemental composition. The most abundant artefacts were toki (adzes, 80 samples), made of either argillite(48 samples) or basalt (32 samples) rock, but also included obsidian flakes, sinker stones, patu and patu ōnewa. Key rock types included andesite, argillite, basalt, chert, ignimbrite, limestone, pounamu (or greenstone) and sandstone, as well as volcanic glass (obsidian and pitchstone). Multi-element chemometrics using Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS DA) was successfully used to classify and group museum artefacts based on their geochemical composition. Hierarchical clustering was used to determine formation relationships within lithology types. The geochemical diversity of materials suggests both local sources and distant geographical origins of these artefacts, indicating population mobility within the district and regular social interaction with iwi groups residing elsewhere. (auth)
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