Scientists are digging pits at Cape Palliser in the Wairarapa, to see how seismic events impacted the area.
The project is funded by EQC, emergency management, and Wellington city council, and aims to help communities prepare for future events.
Project leader Dr Nicola Litchfield says things like carbon-dating shellfish help them establish timelines for events - and what fault lines caused them.
She says it will help them figure out how it impacted communities there at the time.
