Beach ridges, breakers and bones: late Holocene geology and archaeology of the Fyffe site, S49/46, Kaikoura Peninsula, New Zealand

Abstract

Four stranded beach ridge deposits are recognised at Avoca Point, Kaikoura and are considered to have been uplifted by earthquakes. An uplift rate of 1.5 mm/year is derived from beach ridge heights and radiocarbon dates. Earthquake uplifts are dated at 1900 years ago (amount unknown), 1400 years ago (1.1 m), 400 years ago (0.8 m), and 200 years ago (1.1 m). Intermittent human occupation, probably for fishing, fowling and scavenging, was located on the actively-growing Beach Ridge C, between the sea and a lagoon. Cultural remains have very probably been mixed with the beach ridge deposits, with naturally stranded shells, and with bones from carcasses stranded by wave action.