NZ Transport Agency find human remains hundreds of years old during expressway build video

Native Affairs

Human remains, or kōiwi, have been discovered at a construction site for the WaikatoExpresswayy.

Human remains found during earthworks of the Waikato Expressway could be 200 to 400 years old. 

The discovery was made by a NZ Transported Agency contracted digger driver working on the Hamilton section of the expressway in April. 

He noticed something in the soil and immediately stopped work.

This is the Waikato-Tainui and archaeology team searching through the soil.
NZ Transport Agency

This is the Waikato-Tainui and archaeology team searching through the soil.

That is when the remains or kōiwi of at least six people were found. 

NZTA's  cultural protocols were enacted and Waikato-Tainui and an archaeologist were called in to manage the process. 

The Waikato-Tainui and archaeology team searching through the soil.
NZ Transport Agency

The Waikato-Tainui and archaeology team searching through the soil.

Project Archaeologist Sian Keith said that the kōiwi could be around 200 to 400 years old.

"Initial analysis is currently underway and they are a range of ages from around six to 40-years-old," Keith said.

"At least six kōiwi have been found. Four of them are children and they were all buried in close proximity to each other."

The bones are undergoing initial analysis and will be returned to hapū for a proper burial once the investigation is complete. 

The Waikato Expressway is being built in stages with the final three all under construction. The 22km Hamilton section, runs east of the city and connects the Ngāruawāhia section to the Cambridge section at Tamahere. It is due to be finished in 2020.