The Archaeology of the Queensland Native Mounted Police. This project plans to conduct a systematic archaeological study of the Queensland Native Mounted Police. While previous studies have focused on policing activities as revealed by the historical record, this project will combine material, oral and historical evidence from a range of sites across central and northern Queensland to understand more fully the activities, lives and legacies of the Native Police. This project aims to provide an a ....The Archaeology of the Queensland Native Mounted Police. This project plans to conduct a systematic archaeological study of the Queensland Native Mounted Police. While previous studies have focused on policing activities as revealed by the historical record, this project will combine material, oral and historical evidence from a range of sites across central and northern Queensland to understand more fully the activities, lives and legacies of the Native Police. This project aims to provide an alternative lens through which to understand the nature of frontier conflict, initiate new understandings of the Aboriginal and settler experience, and contribute to global studies of Indigenous responses to colonialism.Read moreRead less
Interrogating the Riverland's colonial frontier. This project aims to deliver the first comprehensive study of the colonial frontier in South Australia’s Riverland, a region that was the scene of nationally significant colonial endeavours coupled with violence towards Aboriginal people. While previous studies have focused on discrete events from the historical record, this project will to use a multi-layered strategy to explore this past and present. By coalescing archaeological, anthropological ....Interrogating the Riverland's colonial frontier. This project aims to deliver the first comprehensive study of the colonial frontier in South Australia’s Riverland, a region that was the scene of nationally significant colonial endeavours coupled with violence towards Aboriginal people. While previous studies have focused on discrete events from the historical record, this project will to use a multi-layered strategy to explore this past and present. By coalescing archaeological, anthropological and oral history evidencethis project expects to generate meaningful narratives for and with Aboriginal descendants. These insights should substantially contribute to understandings about the colonial frontier in Australia and globally.Read moreRead less
The Port Adelaide Historical Archaeology (PAHA) project. The aim of this project is to investigate the concept of neighbourhood archaeology in relation to the working class of Port Adelaide. There has been limited previous research on the residents of Port Adelaide and what has been done has mainly been from a town planning and sociological perspective. The traditional history of Port Adelaide has marginalised the role of the residents in the development of Port Adelaide. Archaeological excavati ....The Port Adelaide Historical Archaeology (PAHA) project. The aim of this project is to investigate the concept of neighbourhood archaeology in relation to the working class of Port Adelaide. There has been limited previous research on the residents of Port Adelaide and what has been done has mainly been from a town planning and sociological perspective. The traditional history of Port Adelaide has marginalised the role of the residents in the development of Port Adelaide. Archaeological excavation, therefore, along with extant collections, can provide information not available from other sources. Comparison with previous work undertaken outside Port Adelaide will also provide useful insights into life in early Port Adelaide.Read moreRead less
Traditions, Transformations and Technology in Aboriginal Australia. This project aims to understand the development and spread of technological systems in pre-contact Aboriginal Australia and the connection between that diffusion process and the major expansion of Pama-Nyungan languages spoken over much of our country. Fundamental change occurred in Aboriginal societies over the last ten millennia, as new technologies and languages were adopted during a period of climatic shifts. Using archaeolo ....Traditions, Transformations and Technology in Aboriginal Australia. This project aims to understand the development and spread of technological systems in pre-contact Aboriginal Australia and the connection between that diffusion process and the major expansion of Pama-Nyungan languages spoken over much of our country. Fundamental change occurred in Aboriginal societies over the last ten millennia, as new technologies and languages were adopted during a period of climatic shifts. Using archaeological observations and statistical methods from evolutionary biology, the project plans to map the spread of ancient technologies across the continent and compare the direction and sequence of that expansion to the reconstructed pattern of language spread. The result is expected to be a new understanding of the evolution of Aboriginal cultural systems.Read moreRead less
Archaeologies of community and colonialism in Oceania. This project aims to understand the colonial past, its repercussions for the present and future in Oceania and the relationships between global forces and local experiences. It will use an interdisciplinary approach to historical archaeology and community archaeology. The unique colonial landscapes in Mangareva, French Polynesia will provide a landmark case study with global implications. In addition to internationally significant scholarly ....Archaeologies of community and colonialism in Oceania. This project aims to understand the colonial past, its repercussions for the present and future in Oceania and the relationships between global forces and local experiences. It will use an interdisciplinary approach to historical archaeology and community archaeology. The unique colonial landscapes in Mangareva, French Polynesia will provide a landmark case study with global implications. In addition to internationally significant scholarly outputs and collaboration development, the project will make a substantive contribution to public outreach and education. Benefits would include advancement of Oceanic contributions to global historical archaeology, and increased awareness of the meanings of colonial heritage among Pacific peoples.Read moreRead less
Megalithic Connections: Imperilled Cultural Heritage in Laos and India. This interdisciplinary project aims to document and explore the cultural connections between the geographically disparate megalithic cultures of Laos and India and create an enduring digital record of these threatened cultural assets. Integrating archaeological science and pioneering data capture technologies, the project will create globally significant new knowledge; advance heritage management processes including transfer ....Megalithic Connections: Imperilled Cultural Heritage in Laos and India. This interdisciplinary project aims to document and explore the cultural connections between the geographically disparate megalithic cultures of Laos and India and create an enduring digital record of these threatened cultural assets. Integrating archaeological science and pioneering data capture technologies, the project will create globally significant new knowledge; advance heritage management processes including transferrable exploratory technologies; and help underpin economic, social and cultural benefit in these regions. With an increasing awareness of the need to conserve global cultural assets, Australia will take the lead in developing breakthrough technological solutions and new cross-country research and practitioner capability.Read moreRead less
Shipwrecks of the Roaring Forties: a maritime archaeological reassessment of some of Australia's earliest shipwrecks. This project will evaluate new ways of investigating the history of Europeans in the Indian Ocean by using the latest technology to evaluate seven Western Australian shipwrecks excavated over 40 years ago. The project will work with emerging technologies to study these significant sites and collections.
Beyond the New World: A 16th century Spanish colony and its impact on indigenous populations in the Solomon Islands. The 16th Century Spanish explorations represent the first contacts between Solomon Islanders and Europeans. These interactions encompassed social and economic negotiations, conflicts and potential biological impacts whose long-term consequences have not yet been adequately explored or understood. However, later Solomon Islands demography and socio-political structures may have the ....Beyond the New World: A 16th century Spanish colony and its impact on indigenous populations in the Solomon Islands. The 16th Century Spanish explorations represent the first contacts between Solomon Islanders and Europeans. These interactions encompassed social and economic negotiations, conflicts and potential biological impacts whose long-term consequences have not yet been adequately explored or understood. However, later Solomon Islands demography and socio-political structures may have their roots in these exchanges. Given Australia's commitment to the security of this near neighbour, this study will provide a benchmark for understanding the long-term history and influences within Melanesian-European relationships. Collaboration with the Solomon Islands Museum will strengthen and promote links between researchers and cultural and academic institutions.Read moreRead less
Resolving the archaeological enigma of Indonesia’s ‘Toalean’ culture . Archaeologists have long puzzled over the identity and origin of the 'Toalean' people from Sulawesi, Indonesia. These prehistoric hunter-gatherers produced a unique culture that emerged in the south of this island about 7500 years ago, and some scholars believe they introduced the dingo to Australia. Little is known about these early foragers despite a century of research. This project aims to investigate a significant new ca ....Resolving the archaeological enigma of Indonesia’s ‘Toalean’ culture . Archaeologists have long puzzled over the identity and origin of the 'Toalean' people from Sulawesi, Indonesia. These prehistoric hunter-gatherers produced a unique culture that emerged in the south of this island about 7500 years ago, and some scholars believe they introduced the dingo to Australia. Little is known about these early foragers despite a century of research. This project aims to investigate a significant new cave site in Sulawesi that is the richest, most well-dated Toalean locality yet uncovered. Through detailed archaeological excavations and analyses, this project expects to advance scientific knowledge of an important but poorly understood Indonesian culture that is often connected with the early human story in Australia.Read moreRead less
Industries of Angkor: Material Production and the Decline of the Khmer Empire (11th to 15th centuries CE). Australia is an important partner in developing and maintaining regional relationships in the Asia-Pacific region. Within Cambodia, Australia has made substantial contributions to the redevelopment of its social, academic and professional infrastructures shattered by decades of civil conflict. This multidisciplinary project will introduce new techniques for unlocking the relationship betwee ....Industries of Angkor: Material Production and the Decline of the Khmer Empire (11th to 15th centuries CE). Australia is an important partner in developing and maintaining regional relationships in the Asia-Pacific region. Within Cambodia, Australia has made substantial contributions to the redevelopment of its social, academic and professional infrastructures shattered by decades of civil conflict. This multidisciplinary project will introduce new techniques for unlocking the relationship between settlement and industrial activity at Preah Khan, the largest Angkorian centre. Through collaboration with ongoing University of Sydney research, Cambodian universities and government institutions this project will further enhance Australian relations by contributing new information on the operation and demise of one of the World's great empires.Read moreRead less