Human skull unearthed at Tatapouri Bay: findings released

A human skull found at Tatapouri Bay in April last year has been dated to 1680AD. File picture

There won’t be any coronial inquiry into a human skull found at Tatapouri Bay last year.

In a recently released decision, coroner Mark Wilton said the skull had been examined by a range of experts and he was satisfied it dated back to pre-European times — approximately 1680AD, according to radiocarbon dating analysis.

The skull was found at Tatapouri Bay, north of Gisborne, on April 5 last year.

It was reported to police, who referred it to a duty coroner.

Police then took it for examination at the Rotorua mortuary by forensic pathologist Dr Carol Solomon, who initially thought it wasn’t of pre-European descent.

However, after further examination by Auckland University anthropologist Judith Littleton, the skull was sent for radiocarbon dating at Waikato University.

The results indicated it was of pre-European origins.

Professor Little assessed the skull as probably being from a female aged between about 30 and 45 years old. The woman likely died at Tatapouri, albeit the cause of death couldn’t be determined.

Coroner Wilton said he accepted the experts’ findings and was satisfied there were no circumstances relating to the death that made an inquiry necessary or desirable.

He also noted that under the relevant legislation — the Coroner’s Act 2006 — an inquiry could only be opened if the death happened, or was likely to have been, within the past 100 years.

The coroner directed police now “take the necessary and appropriate steps” to give the skull to local iwi.