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Archaeological investigations at ancient sites in Kakadu National Park. This project aims to re-examine two well-known sites (Malangangerr and Ngarradj) in Kakadu, an iconic World Heritage area and home to some of the oldest and richest archaeology in Australia. Little excavation has been carried out there in recent decades, and almost none using modern high resolution recovery techniques. This project will re-excavate Malangangerr and Ngarradj to determine whether other sites have a similar ant ....Archaeological investigations at ancient sites in Kakadu National Park. This project aims to re-examine two well-known sites (Malangangerr and Ngarradj) in Kakadu, an iconic World Heritage area and home to some of the oldest and richest archaeology in Australia. Little excavation has been carried out there in recent decades, and almost none using modern high resolution recovery techniques. This project will re-excavate Malangangerr and Ngarradj to determine whether other sites have a similar antiquity and record of early complex behaviour. This project could enhance understanding of Aboriginal culture in Kakadu, Australia's unique cultural heritage, the nature and timing of modern human dispersal, and how early Indigenous peoples responded to social and environmental change.Read moreRead less
Coastal Connections: dynamic societies of Australia's Northwest frontier. This project plans to use archaeology to write the first modern synthesis of Australia’s north-west: a region hosting significant cultural, natural and heritage values including two National Heritage List estates. The project plans to conduct work at significant sites and collections which will build on recent exciting archaeological and rock art discoveries and theoretical innovations to analyse the cross-cultural encount ....Coastal Connections: dynamic societies of Australia's Northwest frontier. This project plans to use archaeology to write the first modern synthesis of Australia’s north-west: a region hosting significant cultural, natural and heritage values including two National Heritage List estates. The project plans to conduct work at significant sites and collections which will build on recent exciting archaeological and rock art discoveries and theoretical innovations to analyse the cross-cultural encounters between Aboriginal people, Europeans and Asians in frontier colonial society. The project aims to provide data and tools for understanding and managing nationally-significant threatened archaeological resources valuable for future tourist industries.Read moreRead less
Kin and connection: Ancient DNA between the science and the social. This project aims to capitalise on the emerging wealth of ancient DNA data to build bridges between social and scientific archaeologies. It expects to create new knowledge by integrating genetic data with social models of kinship, applying an innovative, cross-disciplinary methodology to the uniquely rich and well-documented archaeological record of prehistoric Europe. Expected outcomes include a new framework for understanding ....Kin and connection: Ancient DNA between the science and the social. This project aims to capitalise on the emerging wealth of ancient DNA data to build bridges between social and scientific archaeologies. It expects to create new knowledge by integrating genetic data with social models of kinship, applying an innovative, cross-disciplinary methodology to the uniquely rich and well-documented archaeological record of prehistoric Europe. Expected outcomes include a new framework for understanding past kinship and the formation of a new interdisciplinary and international research network. Significant benefits include increased value of legacy collections, capacity building in archaeology, and positioning Australia at the forefront of major developments in ancient DNA and archaeological science.Read moreRead less
Indian Ocean globalisation and the westward Austronesian expansion. This project aims to apply a multi-analytical archaeological science approach to investigate how cross-cultural interaction transformed peoples, societies and environments in the Indian Ocean. It plans to trace the movement of people, plants, animals, goods and practices to Madagascar and the Comoros over 1000 years ago in order to critically assess evidence for early long-distance contacts between Southeast Asia and Africa. The ....Indian Ocean globalisation and the westward Austronesian expansion. This project aims to apply a multi-analytical archaeological science approach to investigate how cross-cultural interaction transformed peoples, societies and environments in the Indian Ocean. It plans to trace the movement of people, plants, animals, goods and practices to Madagascar and the Comoros over 1000 years ago in order to critically assess evidence for early long-distance contacts between Southeast Asia and Africa. The project seeks to enhance Australia’s capacity for archaeological science and deliver significant social and cultural benefits by shedding light on the history of the diverse but interconnected Indo-Pacific world in which Australia now occupies a central geopolitical position.Read moreRead less
Painting Country: the life and legacy of western Arnhem Land rock painters. This project aims to generate new understandings of Australia’s past by exploring the lives and legacies of known Aboriginal rock art artists. It addresses key questions in global archaeology relating to when, where and why rock art was created. Using innovative methodologies, this project intends to create a unique archive of 20th century rock art and oral history recordings from western Arnhem Land. The anticipated out ....Painting Country: the life and legacy of western Arnhem Land rock painters. This project aims to generate new understandings of Australia’s past by exploring the lives and legacies of known Aboriginal rock art artists. It addresses key questions in global archaeology relating to when, where and why rock art was created. Using innovative methodologies, this project intends to create a unique archive of 20th century rock art and oral history recordings from western Arnhem Land. The anticipated outcomes will include new internationally significant knowledge concerning the impacts of colonisation on artistic practices in Australia. Furthermore, the project aims to contribute new information and data that can be used to inform cultural heritage management and education programs both locally and across Australia. Read moreRead less
Pyramids, power and the dynamics of states in crisis. This project aims to transform existing narratives about the impact of Egypt in the Pyramid Age (c. 2670–2200 BC). It will demonstrate the influence of large state entities as drivers of societal change in the ancient world. This interdisciplinary project transcends academic disciplines and modern borders by networking scientific analysis with archaeological and historical evidence, from across the eastern Mediterranean. The expected outcom ....Pyramids, power and the dynamics of states in crisis. This project aims to transform existing narratives about the impact of Egypt in the Pyramid Age (c. 2670–2200 BC). It will demonstrate the influence of large state entities as drivers of societal change in the ancient world. This interdisciplinary project transcends academic disciplines and modern borders by networking scientific analysis with archaeological and historical evidence, from across the eastern Mediterranean. The expected outcome of the project is an expansive vision of international relations in the third millennium BC, which elevates Egypt as a driver of economic, social and political change. In a region currently troubled by much turmoil, the shared nature of global issues across time and space, and the human response, will be evident.Read moreRead less
Rescuing Pharaoh’s Gold Mines: Archaeological conservation in Eastern Sudan. Building on pioneering pilot surveys, this project will document the unexplored archaeology of the remote Atbai Desert of Eastern Sudan, a region whose unique heritage is being destroyed by unregulated mining. Employing satellite surveying and local fieldwork, this project will document new archaeological sites before they are destroyed, while engaging with the local Beja nomads to form culturally sensitive conservation ....Rescuing Pharaoh’s Gold Mines: Archaeological conservation in Eastern Sudan. Building on pioneering pilot surveys, this project will document the unexplored archaeology of the remote Atbai Desert of Eastern Sudan, a region whose unique heritage is being destroyed by unregulated mining. Employing satellite surveying and local fieldwork, this project will document new archaeological sites before they are destroyed, while engaging with the local Beja nomads to form culturally sensitive conservation strategies. Uncovering the history of ancient miners and indigenous nomads with new scientific techniques, the project will transform our narratives of the ancient Nile Basin, inform Sudanese heritage policy, empower local stakeholders, and propel Australia as a leader in world heritage conservation and rescue documentation.Read moreRead less
Dead Heart Beating? Landscape, Climate and People in Desert Australia. This project aims to undertake the first detailed investigation of the archaeology, landscape history and paleoenvironment of dryland lakes in the Simpson, Strzelecki and Stuart Stony Deserts in Central Australia. Using cutting edge methods, the project expects to discover new archaeological sites, provide a new climate record for inland Australia and develop innovative new analytical and field techniques. Expected benefits a ....Dead Heart Beating? Landscape, Climate and People in Desert Australia. This project aims to undertake the first detailed investigation of the archaeology, landscape history and paleoenvironment of dryland lakes in the Simpson, Strzelecki and Stuart Stony Deserts in Central Australia. Using cutting edge methods, the project expects to discover new archaeological sites, provide a new climate record for inland Australia and develop innovative new analytical and field techniques. Expected benefits also include the development of new cutting-edge methodologies for the investigation of Australian desert landscapes, comprehensive baseline data of how this region has evolved prior to European colonization and resolving why no Pleistocene aged archaeological sites have been found in the region.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
The origin of cumulative culture in human evolution. Humans accumulate knowledge and use cumulative culture to transfer it across generations, and identifying the origin of this unique ability is a significant research priority for the study of archaeology and human evolution. This project aims to discover the emergence of cumulative culture by using experiments to evaluate stone tool-making, a technology passed between humans for 3.3 million years. Expected outcomes include international collab ....The origin of cumulative culture in human evolution. Humans accumulate knowledge and use cumulative culture to transfer it across generations, and identifying the origin of this unique ability is a significant research priority for the study of archaeology and human evolution. This project aims to discover the emergence of cumulative culture by using experiments to evaluate stone tool-making, a technology passed between humans for 3.3 million years. Expected outcomes include international collaborations that improve our evolutionary understanding of teaching and learning, and produce new data on early stone artefacts in Indonesia and Australia. This should provide significant benefits for collaborative research and scholarly insight into human evolution and Indigenous knowledge in our region.Read moreRead less