Landslip Hill
Encyclopedia
Landslip Hill is located in Southland
, in the South Island
of New Zealand
, between Tapanui
and Pukerau. It is a debris flow feature associated with the Manuherikia Group of fluvial quartz sandstones. Geologists have described the fossil-bearing rocks as forming part of a sequence of "siliclastic fluvial deltaic sands, conglomerates and silty clays" (Lindqvist & Pocknall 1977).
was the director of the Geological Survey of Otago. Hector returned to the Landslip Hill deposit in 1869 to make further collections, and in 1884 he proposed the name 'Landslip Hill beds' for the quartz arenite, which is now regarded as being related to the Gore Formation following the work of Lindqvist (1983) and Pocknall (1982). "The plant remains include uncompressed three dimensional logs, stems, roots and rootlets, and a variety of fruits, some of which can be assigned to modern New Zealand taxa, and others which are no longer present in the local flora" (Cox and Smith Lyttle 2003:9-10). Recent finds include fossils of the Casuarina
genus (Campbell and Holden 1984:160-161).
and the University of Adelaide
, has suggested that the feature is the remnant of a bolide (asteroid
or comet
) impact that occurred about 1200 CE
. Steel supports his hypothesis with a Māori lament that, he claims, centers on raging fires from the sky, accompanied by tempestuous winds and upheavals in the earth. Others have described the feature as "600 by 900 meters wide and 130 meters deep, and surrounded by a zone of fallen trees, 40 to 80 kilometers wide, dating from eight centuries ago".
However, James Goff, Keri Hulme, and Bruce McFadgen (2003), after considering the arguments put forward by Steel and others, find 'no evidence,either Maori or geological, for a 15th century meteor impact in New Zealand'. They make the point that 'invoking legends or particular translations of Maori place-names to “fit” a known event must be undertaken with considerable care and suitable provisos', and characterise this type of reasoning as 'attempts to creatively rewrite New Zealand’s cultural and tectonic past'. They also deal (p.801) with the Māori lament quoted in Steel and Snow, disputing both his translation and his interpretation.
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
, in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, between Tapanui
Tapanui
Tapanui is a picturesque town in West Otago in New Zealand's South Island, close to the boundary with Southland region . A forestry town, it lies between the foot of the Blue Mountains and the Pomahaka River. Deer stalking and trout fishing are popular pastimes of the area...
and Pukerau. It is a debris flow feature associated with the Manuherikia Group of fluvial quartz sandstones. Geologists have described the fossil-bearing rocks as forming part of a sequence of "siliclastic fluvial deltaic sands, conglomerates and silty clays" (Lindqvist & Pocknall 1977).
Fossil beds
The formation is well-known in botanists for its prominent plant fossils of Late Oligocene to Miocene age. The first collection was made at Landslip Hill in 1862 while Sir James HectorJames Hector
Sir James Hector was a Scottish geologist, naturalist, and surgeon who accompanied the Palliser Expedition as a surgeon and geologist...
was the director of the Geological Survey of Otago. Hector returned to the Landslip Hill deposit in 1869 to make further collections, and in 1884 he proposed the name 'Landslip Hill beds' for the quartz arenite, which is now regarded as being related to the Gore Formation following the work of Lindqvist (1983) and Pocknall (1982). "The plant remains include uncompressed three dimensional logs, stems, roots and rootlets, and a variety of fruits, some of which can be assigned to modern New Zealand taxa, and others which are no longer present in the local flora" (Cox and Smith Lyttle 2003:9-10). Recent finds include fossils of the Casuarina
Casuarina
Casuarina is a genus of 17 species in the family Casuarinaceae, native to Australasia, southeast Asia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was once treated as the sole genus in the family, but has been split into three genera .They are evergreen shrubs and trees growing to 35 m tall...
genus (Campbell and Holden 1984:160-161).
Claims of Impact Origin
Some have claimed that Landslip Hill is an impact crater; but reliable sources categorically deny this. Duncan Steel, of the Anglo-Australian ObservatoryAnglo-Australian Observatory
The Australian Astronomical Observatory , formerly the Anglo-Australian Observatory, is an optical/near-infrared astronomy observatory with its headquarters in suburban Sydney, Australia...
and the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
, has suggested that the feature is the remnant of a bolide (asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
or comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
) impact that occurred about 1200 CE
Common Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
. Steel supports his hypothesis with a Māori lament that, he claims, centers on raging fires from the sky, accompanied by tempestuous winds and upheavals in the earth. Others have described the feature as "600 by 900 meters wide and 130 meters deep, and surrounded by a zone of fallen trees, 40 to 80 kilometers wide, dating from eight centuries ago".
However, James Goff, Keri Hulme, and Bruce McFadgen (2003), after considering the arguments put forward by Steel and others, find 'no evidence,either Maori or geological, for a 15th century meteor impact in New Zealand'. They make the point that 'invoking legends or particular translations of Maori place-names to “fit” a known event must be undertaken with considerable care and suitable provisos', and characterise this type of reasoning as 'attempts to creatively rewrite New Zealand’s cultural and tectonic past'. They also deal (p.801) with the Māori lament quoted in Steel and Snow, disputing both his translation and his interpretation.