Megalithic Portal: Latest from New Zealand

Papahi Headland Pa

DrewParsons — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:24:30 GMT

]]>A small hillfort located on a promontory overlooking the beautiful Tawharanui beaches. The site is a defensive redoubt that would have had palisades as well as the ditch and would have been a place to retreat to in the face of attacks. The peninsula stretches eastward into the Hauraki Gulf and was on the main trade and war party sea route between Northland and Auckland.

Nukuhau Pa

DrewParsons — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:40:04 GMT

]]>A Maori fort - seen here in a reconstruction by Naedox. Located in Alice Eaves Scenic Reserve at the north end of Orewa, 86 metres above sea level and approximately 500 metres north west of the north end of Orewa Beach. The defensive ditches are visible to the north (right) of the track a few metres into the trail through the bush.

Heretoka Pa

DrewParsons — Tue, 14 May 2024 10:40:20 GMT

]]>Heretoka Pa is located on the banks of the Kaipara Harbour, as shown by the arrow, at the north western end of Atiu Creek Regional Park, north of Auckland. See our nearby sites list for more in the area.

Solomons Pa

DrewParsons — Tue, 14 May 2024 04:21:57 GMT

]]>Hillfort in New Zealand

Q09-299

DrewParsons — Tue, 14 May 2024 03:11:02 GMT

]]>Hillfort in New Zealand

Mangawhai Heads South Pa

DrewParsons — Tue, 14 May 2024 00:25:50 GMT

]]>Hillfort in New Zealand

Mangawhai Heads North Pa

DrewParsons — Mon, 13 May 2024 23:57:08 GMT

]]>Hillfort in New Zealand

Kaimanawa Wall

AKFisher — Mon, 06 May 2024 07:09:04 GMT

]]>Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature in New Zealand

Q09-34

DrewParsons — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 03:45:38 GMT

]]>Hillfort in New Zealand

Ihawhanui Ridge Pa

DrewParsons — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 03:11:49 GMT

]]>Hillfort in New Zealand

Muriwai Headland Pa

DrewParsons — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 02:34:35 GMT

]]>Hillfort in New Zealand

Cornwall Park Rongo Stone

DrewParsons — Fri, 19 May 2023 09:54:38 GMT

]]>This basalt standing stone represents the god Rongo and may date back to the earliest settlement of New Zealand. Rongo was one of the Polynesian gods and is known throughout Polynesia. Such stones embodied the essence of Rongo, the god of cultivation and peace, and were set up in kumara and other crop fields to ensure agricultural success. Rongo stones held mauri, an energy which bound all things in the physical world and was needed to allow mana (the extraordinary power of the god) to pass to the fields and crops. As such the stones were sometimes known as kumera gods.

Rarowhara Pa

DrewParsons — Sun, 29 May 2022 19:46:22 GMT

]]>Rarowhara Pa is the most important of a series of coastal hill forts located on the approaches to and around the Whangaparaoa Peninsula some 50 kilometres north of Auckland City. The waters of the Mahurangi to the north of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula were rich fishing grounds and this fact together with the peninsula's location on the north to south canoe route between Northland and the rest of the North Island made it of strategic importance. In pre European times inter-tribal rivalry led to fighting for fishing rights in this area, whilst utu (revenge) raids and land conquest invasions were common too.

Whakawhitiwhiti Pā

DrewParsons — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 10:27:55 GMT

]]>Tours and talks (some online and accessible worldwide) for New Zealand Archaeology week, 23rd April to 1st May, including to this site on the North Island, more details in the comment on our page. Whakawhitiwhiti Pā has a commanding presence in the west of New Plymouth, North Island, New Zealand. With its well-defined earthworks it is one of the best preserved of New Plymouth's few remaining pa sites.

Hereheretaura Pā

Andy B — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 15:16:32 GMT

At the southern end of Hahei Beach Te Pare Historic Reserve encompasses the remains of two prominent Ngati Hei pā sites. A nearby spring and the remains of several midden suggest the site was a good location for both freshwater and shellfish.