A large and impressive moa leg bone, found at pyramid valley,…

A large and impressive moa leg bone, found at pyramid valley, north canterbury. Pyramid valley in the Hurunui District of New Zealand is located near Waikari in the north canterbury region 80 KM north-west of Christchurch. It is well known for its prominent limestone rock formations. On the foot of the valley is a swamp which became notable in 1939 as New Zealand's largest paleontological site for moa fossils. The swamp was formed around 18,000 BC and was drained some 2,000 years ago. It provided a lush vegetation which attracted five different moa species. In 1938 the landowners Joseph and Rob Hodgen found three large bones of Dinornis giganteus in the swamp. They opened this area for excavations and in the early 1940s fossil hunters like Roger Duff, Jim Eyles, and many others began their research at this site. The remains of long extinct birds were unearthed, including more than 183 complete moa skeletons and tens of thousands of fossil bone fragments from 46 species of birds. Nickle plated plaque affixed and inscribed with 'A moa leg bone, found at pyramid valley. N. Canterbury', 47 cm length