Abstract
This research project has examined three aspects of archaeological resource management in New Zealand. The New Zealand Archaeological Association Site Recording Scheme is the national database for archaeological site information, and is often utilised by planning officers in the creation of district plans. Using a selection of sites from the Kaikoura District, an archaeological field survey and assessment was conducted in June 2005. The resulting data was used to facilitate an analysis of the accuracy of the data contained within the site record files. The Kaikoura District was chosen for analysis due to the convenience of a wide range of sites within a contained area, and due to a request on part of the local iwi, District Council officers for assistance in the upgrading of their provisions for the protection of archaeological sites.
An analysis was done on the Kaikoura District Plan, currently still in the proposal stage. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are enjoying more prominence in archaeology as the technology becomes easier to use. To aid in the analysis of the Site Recording Scheme, each site was mapped with GPS and the information imported into a GIS program. This information was also incorporated into a discussion on the issue of typology, and the question of 'what is a site?'. These issues are relevant to both the Site Recording Scheme and the use of archaeologists' knowledge in planning processes.
The findings of this research showed that the Kaikoura District Plan is strong on paper, but the fact that the archaeological information has been badly incorporated into the provisions means that protection will be lacking. Two problems arise with the Site Recording Scheme, the first is that many of the sites have only been recorded once, and this often in the 1960s when the scheme was first begun. The second problem relates to that of typology; because of the nature of archaeological sites, many require more than one type to fully describe what the site is. This poses problems for the integration of archaeologists' knowledge into the planning process, as planning officers and other stakeholders require more definite identification. Having two or more site types, combined with grid references that only indicate the presence of an archaeological site may lead to confusion which will make the protection of these features more difficult.
It was suggested that in the future, a set procedure should be put in place to ensure continuity in the way in which grid references are created. Clearly, the Kaikoura District Plan would benefit most from a clearer understanding of the archaeological knowledge it employs, as well as an appreciation of the values of these archaeological sites. The question of typology will continue to be a problem, it will be most important for archaeologists and planners alike to make it clear what sort of typology they are following, and to outline their reasons for its use.