History of New Zealand
The history of New Zealand dates back at least 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture centred on kinship links and land. The first European explorer to sight New Zealand was Dutch navigator Abel Tasman on 13 December 1642. The Dutch were also the first non-natives to explore and chart New Zealand's coastline. Captain James Cook, who reached New Zealand in October 1769 on the first of his three voyages, was the first European explorer to circumnavigate and map New Zealand. From the late 18th century, the country was regularly visited by explorers and other sailors, missionaries, traders and adventurers. In 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the British Crown and various Māori chiefs, bringing New Zealand into the British Empire and giving Māori the same rights as British subjects. There was extensive British settlement throughout the rest of the century and into the early part of the next century. War and the imposition of a European economic and legal system led to most of New Zealand's land passing from Māori to Pākehā (European) ownership, and most Māori subsequently became impoverished.
Archaeology of New Zealand
In 1999 a sample from the Wairau Bar site gave a "late" age of 1230–1282 AD age which was approximately confirmed by the study of charcoal and pollen that same year. The Wairau Bar settlement is early in New Zealand settlement due to the presence of remains of people born in tropical Polynesia and tool of the same origin. At this time a number of unusually early dates from rat skeletons were being recorded (possible as early as 50 AD). This was first used as evidence for separate rat and human migrations as the post 1000 AD age was well established. However, some speculation did occur that Māori may have come to New Zealand at that "early" date even if they did not settle.