Reconstructing a palaeotsunami: Geomorphological and cultural change associated with a catastrophic 15th century event, Kāpiti Coast, Aotearoa/New Zealand

Abstract

An understanding of the geomorphological processes instigated by seismic-related catastrophes such as tsunamis is important to our understanding of their potential impacts on both past and present human populations. Due to the relative scarcity of human records of such events in prehistory, it is necessary to rely on the geological record to identify and interpret the environmental changes caused by such catastrophes. A multi-proxy analysis of geological and geomorphological data is used to identify a local signal of a region-wide 15th century palaeotsunami that inundated the SW North Island coast of Aotearoa/New Zealand. A comparison with regional geological and archaeological evidence enriches our understanding of the nature and extent of this event and its impact on human settlement that complements similar findings in other countries.