Editing South Island (section)

=== Pre-history ===
Charcoal drawings can be found on limestone rock shelters in over 550 different locations across the South Island.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhc.net.nz/index/museum-new-zealand/maori-cave-art/maori-cave-art.htm |title=Very Old Maori Rock Drawings |publisher=Natural Heritage Collection |access-date=15 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224214113/http://nhc.net.nz/index/museum-new-zealand/maori-cave-art/maori-cave-art.htm |archive-date=24 February 2009 }}</ref> Stretching from [[Kaikōura]] to [[North Otago]], the drawings are estimated to be between 500 and 800 years old and portray animals, people and fantastic creatures, possibly stylised reptiles. Some of the birds pictured are long extinct, including [[moa]] and [[Haast's eagle]]s. They were drawn by early [[Māori people|Māori]], but by the time Europeans arrived, local Māori did not know the origins of the drawings.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Big Picture: A history of New Zealand art from. 1642 |last=Keith |first=Hamish |isbn=978-1-86962-132-2 |year=2007 |pages=11–16 |publisher=Godwit }}</ref>