Pullar Alan

William Alexander (Alan) Pullar 1912-1982

Alan Pullar was a soil scientist employed at the Soil Bureau at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, initialy in Otago, then Gisborne, Whakatane and lastly Rotorua.

He was a graduate of Otago University and had a distinguished career with many publications on his areas of expertise, particularly the mapping and dating of tephara. From 1959 to 1967 he was intensely interested in archaeology and published many short papers in that time. Most have some connection to soils and his interest in using tephara as an archaeological dating aid. The papers also show that a broader interest in the subject had developed as well. He is perhaps not better known to archaeologists because so many of his papers are in the Historical Review of the Whakatane and District Historical Society, undeservedly not widely read.

In much of his field work he was associated with Ken Moore.

Late in his life he was somewhat disillusioned with archaeology, or at least the opportunities for amateurs (Pullar 1978). However the work that he pioneered, looking at the potential linkage of human occupation with the Kaharoa tephara, has been continued by others and is now a primary area of evidence of the date of settlement of New Zealand. He can be credited for seeing this potential.

Obituary: 1982 New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 25:227-228.

The Geological Society of New Zealand awards a W A Pullar Prize for "the most meritorious contribution to tephrochronological research in the New Zealand region published in the previous 3 years." Such research includes archaeological applicaitons. Link

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Bibiliography

These are Pullar's archaeological papers only.

1959a The Significance of Volcanic Ash Beds in Archaeology. Journal of the Polynesian Society 68(1):8-11.

1959b Comments on Kaharoa Ash and Soils, Archaeological Excavations at Pangaroa May 1959. Historical Review 7(4):85.

1959c Field archaeology in the Gisbornc district. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 2(2):26-28.

1960 Gisborne. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 3(2):10-11.

1961a Ana-O-Muriwai (Princess Muriwai Cave). Historical Review 9(4):192-194.

1961b Early Polynesian Occupation near Whakatane, Central Bay of Plenty. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 4(2):42-45.

1961c Pedological Observations at Kauri Point. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 4(2):33.

1961d Kaou-te–Rangi – Soil and Volcanic Ash Investigation. Historical Review 9:120-128.

1961e The Possibilities of Early Polynesian Occupation at Thornton. Historical Review 9:129-130.

1961f Kapu Te Rangi (Toi’s Pa) (b) Soil and Volcanic Ash Investigation. Historical Review 9(3):120-128.

1961g Pedological observations at Kauri Point. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 4(2):33-38.

1962a Age of the Kaharoa Ash. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 5(1):17-18.

1962b The Impact of Maori on Soils in the Bay of Plenty: A Preliminary Assesment. Historical Review 10(1):13.

1962c Archaeology – Recent Investigations at Whakatane. Historical Review 10:147-149.

1962d Impact of the Maori on Soils in the Bay of Plenty. A Preliminary Assesment. Historical Review 10(1):13.

1962e Note on Paparoa Pa Site Ohiwa Harbour. Historical Review 10(4):150.

1965 Note on ash beds at Poukawa, Hawkes Bay. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 8(1): 11-13.

1966a Origin of a Maori Soil at Kauri Point. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 9(4):160-161.

1966b Climatic interpretation in New Zealand archaeology. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 9(2):74- 76.

1967a Early Polynesian Occupation Near Whakatane – An Open Question?. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 10(2):65-66.

1967b Field Archaeology in the Bay of Plenty. Historical Review 15(2):105-114.

1967c Field Archaeology in the Bay of Plenty A Bibliography. Historical Review 15(2):147-151.

1975 Fish Weir Discovery, Rotorua. Historical Review 23(2):98

1978 The Demise of the Amateur Archaeologist (Letter to the Editor) New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 21(2):83.

- and A D Mabon

1961 Kapu-te-Rangi (Toi’s Pa) History and Site Survey, Soil and Volcanic Ash Investigation. Historical Review 9(3):117-128.

1963a Tauanui Pa, Whakatane. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 6(2):103-106

1963b Tauanui Pa, Taneatua, Bay of Plenty. Historical Review 11(3):157-161.

-, A D Mabon and K W Moore

1964a Site Recording in the Whakatane District. Historical Review 12(2):72-75.

1964b Site Recording in the Whakatane District. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 7(1):29-33.

- and M S McGlone 1976 More About the Kohika Site, Bay of Plenty. Historical Review 24:110-113.

- and K W Moore 1963 Taumurenui Pa Onepu Bay of Plenty. Historical Review 11(4):205-207.

-, K W Moore and A S Scott 1967 Field Archaeology in the Bay of Plenty. Historical Review 15(1):105-114.

-, C Kinsley-Smith, and A D Mabon 1961 Karerea Pa. Historical Review 9(2):50-54.

- and R C Green 1960 Excavations at Orongo Bay, Gisborne. Journal of the Polynesian Society 69(4):332-353.