Dr Isaac McIvor
Archaeologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago sharing my passion for archaeology and cultural heritage in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Past Before Us is your guide to archaeology and cultural heritage in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific — exploring recent discoveries, challenging misconceptions, and making the past accessible to students, practitioners, and the curious alike.
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If you are new to archaeology, check out the page below for a video and corresponding blog article about the discipline and common misunderstandings about it. Otherwise, scroll on down to the latest content.
Archaeology: More than digging
Being lumped in with Jurassic Park is only marginally better than being compared with the infamous archaeologist in name only, Indiana Jones. At least Time Team gives you an idea of what archaeology is actually about.
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Why New Zealand Schools Need More Archaeology
Aotearoa, we need to talk about archaeology — and why our tamariki deserve so much more of it. Podcast links below 👇… Our secondary school education system in Aotearoa New Zealand undervalues the contributions that archaeology makes to our society. We are sitting on an untapped goldmine of potential learning and engagement. I came to…
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The 350-Year-Old Secret in a Wellington Garden: How Radiocarbon Dating Actually Works
Somewhere in Ōwhiro Bay, Wellington, on the 22nd of June 2025, a person was doing what New Zealanders do best on a sunny winter’s day. Gardening. Unremarkably, peacefully, gloriously ordinary gardening. And then, the not ordinary arrived from te pō ki te ao mārama (from the darkness to the light). Human remains, right there in…
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What was recently uncovered on Ahuahu Great Mercury Island?
There is a growing respect for the history of Aotearoa New Zealand with the uptake of a new history teaching curriculum and initiatives like Te Pūtake o te Riri (New Zealand War Commemorations). With the growing attention on the relatively short history of settlement in the country, you may be thinking that we know all…
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The past before us all: a poem
A poem about the inequities of cultural heritage place recognition and protection in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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When did people first arrive in Aotearoa, and how do we know that?
From dozens of generations of genealogies, to moa egg shells and ice cores, all the evidence points to a certain period in which Polynesian voyagers began settling in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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The “Kaimanawa Wall” conspiracy
In 1996, a claim was published that the “Kaimanawa Wall” is the best evidence of a pre-Māori people. Join me in reviewing the evidence and learning a little bit about geology along the way.
He mihi nui tēnei ki a Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
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How do archaeologists know where to dig?
Often archaeological evidence is completely buried, or only certain parts of buried features and structures may be visible on the ground. Yet, archaeologists keep generating new knowledge and uncovering exciting things.
So, how do archaeologists know where to look? And when is it right to do so?
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What is the most common “archaeological site” in Aotearoa, and why are they valued?
Archaeological features in Aotearoa New Zealand are often overlooked as unimportant or uninteresting. Let’s take a stab at that assumption by exploring the amazingness of the most common archaeological feature/site recorded in in this country!
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7 reasons why cultural heritage places are SO IMPORTANT in Aotearoa New Zealand
Cultural heritage places are locations that we value and that we have inherited from previous generations. Here’s why we should protect and cherish them.
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7 ways to engage with archaeology
You want to marinade in what archaeology might have to offer, but you aren’t quite sure how to engage with it, right? Here is a comprehensive list of the ways that you can get involved with archaeology or become one!
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