Takiroa Rock Art Shelter
New Zealand · Oceania
A limestone overhang in the South Island carrying classic Māori charcoal-and-ochre drawings.
Age
~600 yrs
Period
Pre-European Māori
Setting
Rock shelter
Art form
Paintings
Discovered
1852
Status
Open Access
Beside the Waitaki valley near Duntroon, the Takiroa shelter is one of the best-known Māori rock-art sites in the South Island. Drawn in charcoal and red ochre, its figures of people, birds and — after contact — a sailing ship record a tradition of limestone-shelter art across Te Waipounamu.
Notable Features
- ◦ Classic Māori charcoal drawings
- ◦ People, birds and a sailing ship
- ◦ A well-known South Island shelter
Depicted Subjects
Human FiguresAnimalsBoats
Plan a Visit
AccessThis cave can be visited.
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.