Burnt Papa
Description
A burnt papa conglomerate which has some concrete mixed in with it.
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Object detail
Production place
Credit line
In
addition
to
the
problems
posed
by
rugged
topography,
in
some
inland
areas
of
Taranaki,
there
is
no
hard
rock
suitable
for
road
making.
In
the
past,
fired
papa
mudstone
,
like
this
piece
from
the
Mount
Messenger
area,
provided
a
cheap
and
innovative
way
to
surface
roads
in
the
area.
Papa
was
converted
to
brick
in
roadside
kilns,
and
then
spread
on
to
the
roads.
Small kilns were constructed on the sides of the road. 'Face kilns' were made in cavities that were blasted in the sides of the papa cliff, and built up with alternate layers of timber and clay. Both types of kilns were covered with more clay before being lit. Firing took several days, after which the brick-like product was broken up by hand and spread on to the road. Nearly all of Taranaki's burnt papa roads are covered now with gravel or bitumen, but fragments may still be seen on Marco Road near Kohuratahi, and outside the Whangamomona cemetry.
' Papa burning ' was used in the Whangamomona and Ohura Areas, and on Mount Messenger. Once the railway arrived, however, gravel was railed in, and papa burning finished.
Small kilns were constructed on the sides of the road. 'Face kilns' were made in cavities that were blasted in the sides of the papa cliff, and built up with alternate layers of timber and clay. Both types of kilns were covered with more clay before being lit. Firing took several days, after which the brick-like product was broken up by hand and spread on to the road. Nearly all of Taranaki's burnt papa roads are covered now with gravel or bitumen, but fragments may still be seen on Marco Road near Kohuratahi, and outside the Whangamomona cemetry.
' Papa burning ' was used in the Whangamomona and Ohura Areas, and on Mount Messenger. Once the railway arrived, however, gravel was railed in, and papa burning finished.
Accession number
PA2009.031
Collection type
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