How archaeology can transform living in space. This project aims to investigate human engagement with material culture in the extreme environment of space by applying archaeological methods to the habitation design of the International Space Station. The project will use NASA data to record astronaut interactions with objects and spaces over time. The project expects to remedy deficiencies in previous psychological and engineering design research by taking a deep-time perspective on how a cultur ....How archaeology can transform living in space. This project aims to investigate human engagement with material culture in the extreme environment of space by applying archaeological methods to the habitation design of the International Space Station. The project will use NASA data to record astronaut interactions with objects and spaces over time. The project expects to remedy deficiencies in previous psychological and engineering design research by taking a deep-time perspective on how a culture develops in a microgravity environment. The results are intended to identify how humans adapt to space technology and can be applied in the future design of long duration space missions to maximise both survival and efficiency.Read moreRead less
Life on the Edge: Pre-Gold Rush Settlement in South Gippsland, Victoria. The project will contribute materialist perpectives to the understanding of the development of the Port Phillip Colony. The project provides a thematic, contextual study as called for in the National Cultural Heritage Forum's 'Vision for Australia's Cultural Heritage' and required to support the new national heritage legislation. The project exemplifies the 'whole environment' approach identified in the present review of ....Life on the Edge: Pre-Gold Rush Settlement in South Gippsland, Victoria. The project will contribute materialist perpectives to the understanding of the development of the Port Phillip Colony. The project provides a thematic, contextual study as called for in the National Cultural Heritage Forum's 'Vision for Australia's Cultural Heritage' and required to support the new national heritage legislation. The project exemplifies the 'whole environment' approach identified in the present review of the Victorian Heritage Strategy by providing interpretations of setting, context, and broader cultural landscapes. The project will contribute to the enhancement of regional tourism product content by increasing the knowledge of one of the key heritage assets of the region. Read moreRead less
Rethinking Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia: A Case Study From the New Nation of Timor Leste. The project will contribute to the economic and socially sustainable conservation of cultural heritage in Timor Leste. Collaborative work between project personnel and Timor Leste communities and government agencies will promote good will, strengthen ties and enhance cross-cultural understanding between both countries, as will the training of Timor Leste nationals in techniques of heritage assessment ....Rethinking Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia: A Case Study From the New Nation of Timor Leste. The project will contribute to the economic and socially sustainable conservation of cultural heritage in Timor Leste. Collaborative work between project personnel and Timor Leste communities and government agencies will promote good will, strengthen ties and enhance cross-cultural understanding between both countries, as will the training of Timor Leste nationals in techniques of heritage assessment and management. Communication of the results of the project will also enhance Australia's understanding of social and cultural issues within Timor Leste and raise Australia's profile overseas. Read moreRead less
A reassessment of early human stone technology from a Southeast Asian perspective. The study of early stone technology is crucial to our understanding of human evolution worldwide, providing insight into the capabilities of our earliest ancestors. Current models focus on the evidence from Africa and Europe, potentially marginalising the importance of eastern Asia in the global development of early human stone technology. This impacts how nations and communities in our region interpret themselv ....A reassessment of early human stone technology from a Southeast Asian perspective. The study of early stone technology is crucial to our understanding of human evolution worldwide, providing insight into the capabilities of our earliest ancestors. Current models focus on the evidence from Africa and Europe, potentially marginalising the importance of eastern Asia in the global development of early human stone technology. This impacts how nations and communities in our region interpret themselves to the world and reduces the impetus of innovative research on this subject. The proposal aims to establish detailed comparisons between Southeast Asian and 'Western' technologies, providing a suitable framework through which current preconceptions can be more rigorously assessed.Read moreRead less
Mining and transformation in Jawoyn country, southern Arnhem Land. This project integrates archaeological, documentary and oral evidence about the Maranboy and Yeuralba mines' role in the transformation of Aboriginal people living in southern Arnhem Land from a hunter-gatherer way of life to the community residence patterns of today. The collaborative project includes direct participation and direction by Indigenous custodians and will produce an Aboriginal perspective about the impact of the ....Mining and transformation in Jawoyn country, southern Arnhem Land. This project integrates archaeological, documentary and oral evidence about the Maranboy and Yeuralba mines' role in the transformation of Aboriginal people living in southern Arnhem Land from a hunter-gatherer way of life to the community residence patterns of today. The collaborative project includes direct participation and direction by Indigenous custodians and will produce an Aboriginal perspective about the impact of the mines on their lives. The results will contribute to knowledge about the ways in which Aboriginal society changed and adapted to European settlement in this part of Australia and will produce a range of interpretative materials for the Jawoyn Association's nascent tourism enterprises.Read moreRead less
The archaeology and history of quarantine. This project investigates the stories of people, place and passage inscribed in the landscape at Sydney's Quarantine Station. Immigration connects people and places to the wider world, and this project investigates the international connections that bind the experience and history of quarantine and diverse immigration sites across the globe.
How Do Stone Tools Reflect Cognition Among the First Australians and their Precursors? The popularity of the Indonesian 'hobbit' (Homo floresiensis) discovery provides an ideal platform for interpreting Australasian prehistory to a wider community. This project explores the arrival of modern humans in Indonesia, their interaction with 'hobbits', and the colonisation of Australia by comparing the different ways these hominins made stone tools. Although research indicates a significant level of ....How Do Stone Tools Reflect Cognition Among the First Australians and their Precursors? The popularity of the Indonesian 'hobbit' (Homo floresiensis) discovery provides an ideal platform for interpreting Australasian prehistory to a wider community. This project explores the arrival of modern humans in Indonesia, their interaction with 'hobbits', and the colonisation of Australia by comparing the different ways these hominins made stone tools. Although research indicates a significant level of behavioural unity in our genus, 'hobbits' were not like us. 'Us' refers, of course, to modern humans, and hence this research is of global relevance. By applying a 'design space' model to toolmaking in the past, this project will demonstrate that the earliest trends in technology apply equally to human groups throughout the world. Read moreRead less
Excavating MacGregor: re-connecting a colonial museum collection. Sensing the impacts of colonisation, the first Administrator of British New Guinea William MacGregor made a significant collection of objects specifically for its future citizens. This comprehensive legacy of 13 000 objects did not remain in the country but was dispersed to three Australian and six overseas museums. Our aim is to re-assemble and re-connect this material by 'excavating' its private and official components. This res ....Excavating MacGregor: re-connecting a colonial museum collection. Sensing the impacts of colonisation, the first Administrator of British New Guinea William MacGregor made a significant collection of objects specifically for its future citizens. This comprehensive legacy of 13 000 objects did not remain in the country but was dispersed to three Australian and six overseas museums. Our aim is to re-assemble and re-connect this material by 'excavating' its private and official components. This research aims to focus on the makers and traders to disentangle the social relationships embedded in the objects. Using material-centred, assemblage-based archaeological approaches, we aim to investigate how indigenous groups used objects to negotiate with the new colonial government.Read moreRead less
Rehabilitation of archaeological surface collections: Development of research strategies for the assessment, collection, and scientific analysis of lithic surface scatters. Archaeological lithic surface collections constitute the majority of prehistoric sites in Australia. These sites are usually ranked as low to nil priority in cultural heritage assessments for mitigation of site disturbance. Over 16,000 artifacts were collected from a bridge right of way (100%) at Camooweal, QLD. We will analy ....Rehabilitation of archaeological surface collections: Development of research strategies for the assessment, collection, and scientific analysis of lithic surface scatters. Archaeological lithic surface collections constitute the majority of prehistoric sites in Australia. These sites are usually ranked as low to nil priority in cultural heritage assessments for mitigation of site disturbance. Over 16,000 artifacts were collected from a bridge right of way (100%) at Camooweal, QLD. We will analyse 350 artifacts for organic use residues including dating, and use statistical analysis of the whole collection to arrive at a model for appropriate investigation of this site type in future. The research team is a novel collaboration between university, a heritage consultant, and an Aboriginal corporation.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101351
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$335,427.00
Summary
Visualising archaeologies: Art and the creation of contemporary archaeology. This project aims to investigate contemporary archaeology method and theory, specifically the proposition that art practice can create and communicate archaeological knowledge. Connecting contemporary Australian society with its material past is part of developing ideas about place, identity, and community. Using qualitative research and art practice-based studies, the project will trace the emergence of art-archaeology ....Visualising archaeologies: Art and the creation of contemporary archaeology. This project aims to investigate contemporary archaeology method and theory, specifically the proposition that art practice can create and communicate archaeological knowledge. Connecting contemporary Australian society with its material past is part of developing ideas about place, identity, and community. Using qualitative research and art practice-based studies, the project will trace the emergence of art-archaeology collaborations and investigate the application of visual methods in representing Australia’s rich heritage. Through the visualisation of archaeology and heritage, the project seeks to further understand how the past is mediated in the present. This will enable better engagement in public discussions about what Australia is as a society and how it values its heritage.Read moreRead less