Setting

This site is on the volcanic hill which is the Historic Reserve at the the seaward end of the Mt Maunganui sandspit.

Archaeological Features

Archaeological evidence is to be found in most parts of this historic reserve. Of particular note are:
(1) the earthwork features of the summit pa (U14/149)
(2) the ditch and bank pa on the lower slopes facing the inner harbour (U14/173)
(3) the extensive shell middens, particularly on the slopes facing the inner harbour, and the sandspit
(4) midden and general occupation debris in the smaller beaches or canoe haulout areas on the rocky shore facing the ocean
(5) the evidence of the occupation of the European militia, and of the pilot station, from the 1860s (U14/149)

Supporting Evidence

The Mount has not been the subject of any specific archaeological -investigation, and there are no publications dealing with the archaeology of the area, although it is often cited' as an example of extensive settlement and defence in prehistory.

The Mount, and 'the events which occurred there in antiquity figure prominently in the traditions of both the Ngatiranginui and the Ngaiterangi people. The reserve management plan notes: ‘Mauao remains today immersed in the poetry, waiata, chants and history of its onetime Maori occupants and, as in the past, it is still a most revered and respected landmark, containing the traditions and mana of its Maori people’. The Ngaiterangi people suffered a severe defeat here at the hands of the Ngapuhi in 1818, and there appears to have been no significant Maori occupation of the area since that time. Early European visitors to the area noted the extensive terracing of the hill, and the dense middens.

Assessment

Although no specific archaeological investigations have been undertaken, the archaeological importance of the Mount as assessed from surface features are widely acknowledged. Together with its spiritual and traditional importance to the Maori people, and its place in the 19th century European settlement of the area, this ensures its position as one of the major archaeological sites of the Bay of Plenty.