Swiftly Adapting Maori Ancestors in the Wake of Climate Change's Speedy Shifts

In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History have created a new chronology of the arrival and settlement of the ancestors of the Maori in Aotearoa. The study, written by Magdalena Bunbury and Dr Fiona Petchey and originally published in The Conversation, is based on the changing distribution of archaeological sites across Aotearoa and utilizes a unique approach to modeling that combines terrestrial and marine radiocarbon data sets.

The researchers assembled a radiocarbon data set of more than 2,250 dates, the largest from any island context, to achieve this. This study includes over 800 shell radiocarbon dates, thanks to the development of a regional marine calibration curve.

The early settlers, who arrived in Aotearoa from the tropical islands of East Polynesia via traditional navigation, initially adapted to a diet consisting of moa, seafood, and vegetables grown in their garden plots. However, the study reveals that the North Island was settled before the South Island, around 1250-1270.

Between 1350 and 1450, the population shifted back to the north due to the warmer temperatures and ideal soils for agriculture in the North Island. Conversely, after 1350, conditions in the South Island became significantly colder, making moa hunting uneconomic and putting pressure on the communities.

The study demonstrates a difference in the age of settlements in the North and South islands. The North Island, with its warmer climate and fertile soils, saw earlier and more frequent settlements, while the South Island, with its colder climate and less favourable conditions, saw later and less frequent settlements.

The research shows that the Maori adapted quickly to their new environment and again during later periods when temperature and rainfall changed significantly. This adaptability is evident in the changing distribution of archaeological sites across Aotearoa.

The study provides a time baseline for understanding the complexity of ancestral Maori society. It also aims to achieve the precision needed to establish more links between people, climate, and time in future work. This research underscores the resilience and adaptability of the early settlers and the Maori people, who have thrived in Aotearoa for centuries.

The researchers used carbon-14 to date shells from Te-Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa, the Pacific Ocean, to establish the timeline of the Maori settlement in Aotearoa. In previous research, they used rat-gnawed seeds to establish the age of Pacific rats and humans in New Zealand.

This study is a significant contribution to our understanding of the early history of Aotearoa and the Maori people. It provides a clear picture of the timeline of Maori settlement, their adaptability, and their resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions.