This badly corroded projectile is an example of a British Congreve rocket used during the First Taranaki War (1860-61).The rockets, named after their inventor Sir William Congreve, were designed to be fired from simple frames elevated from 2½ to 5 degrees. Maori thought the rockets possessed minds of their own, with a malicious delight in spiralling in pursuit of fleeing targets. Little is known about this example which was found in swamp at Manukorihi.