Out of Africa: human prehistory in southwestern China. This project aims to establish the timing and processes of human settlement in East Asia during the Middle and Late Pleistocene. Through studying a series of key archaeological sites in southwest China using the most recent innovative scientific approaches in luminescence dating, sedimentary DNA and lithic analysis, we expect to provide new insights into the human prehistory of East Asia over the last 300,000 years. This should provide signi ....Out of Africa: human prehistory in southwestern China. This project aims to establish the timing and processes of human settlement in East Asia during the Middle and Late Pleistocene. Through studying a series of key archaeological sites in southwest China using the most recent innovative scientific approaches in luminescence dating, sedimentary DNA and lithic analysis, we expect to provide new insights into the human prehistory of East Asia over the last 300,000 years. This should provide significant contribution to addressing major debates about the timing, rate and route of dispersal of modern humans out of Africa, across south Asia and into Australia. 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
Valuing Stones: obsidian stemmed tools in the creation of social complexity in Papua New Guinea. New inter-disciplinary research into the manufacture, use and exchange of highly distinctive obsidian artifacts will evaluate proposals that they signify the existence of social differentiation in the Pacific region more than 6000 years ago. The research employs new social theory, replication experiments, use-wear analyses and pioneers Raman spectroscopy to detect geological sources and identify micr ....Valuing Stones: obsidian stemmed tools in the creation of social complexity in Papua New Guinea. New inter-disciplinary research into the manufacture, use and exchange of highly distinctive obsidian artifacts will evaluate proposals that they signify the existence of social differentiation in the Pacific region more than 6000 years ago. The research employs new social theory, replication experiments, use-wear analyses and pioneers Raman spectroscopy to detect geological sources and identify microscopic residues. The study will make a significant contribution to Australian and world scholarship, continue the innovation and leadership of Australian scholars in research on stone tools and prehistoric exchange, and promote goodwill and better diplomacy with Australia's nearest neighbour, Papua New Guinea. Read moreRead less
Reconstructing Prehistoric Exchange of Volcanic Glasses in Far East Russia. This project examines competing theories to explain the causes for volcanic glass movement up to 700 kilometres from its source, in Far East Russia 18,000 years ago. As the earliest evidence in the world for long distance overland movement of materials, this case represents a significant innovation within human evolution. The project combines studies of production and consumption to test competing theories to explain wh ....Reconstructing Prehistoric Exchange of Volcanic Glasses in Far East Russia. This project examines competing theories to explain the causes for volcanic glass movement up to 700 kilometres from its source, in Far East Russia 18,000 years ago. As the earliest evidence in the world for long distance overland movement of materials, this case represents a significant innovation within human evolution. The project combines studies of production and consumption to test competing theories to explain why and how volcanic glass was transported. Analyses of geological outcrops, quarries/workshops, and locations of artifact use and discard over a large region enable a comprehensive reconstruction of changing patterns of behaviour between 18,000-2500 bp.Read moreRead less
Landscapes of production and punishment: The Tasman Peninsula 1830-77. This project aims to explore the physical effect of convict labour on landscape and convict bodies. It focuses on convict labour at Port Arthur and on the Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania, 1830-77. The Tasman Peninsula presents a rare opportunity to develop and test methodology for examining convict labour management and control, and the systems of production in which they were engaged. This project will study the punitive, economi ....Landscapes of production and punishment: The Tasman Peninsula 1830-77. This project aims to explore the physical effect of convict labour on landscape and convict bodies. It focuses on convict labour at Port Arthur and on the Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania, 1830-77. The Tasman Peninsula presents a rare opportunity to develop and test methodology for examining convict labour management and control, and the systems of production in which they were engaged. This project will study the punitive, economic, technological, organisational, legal and social forces that shaped convict labour and where they laboured. This should deepen the management, interpretation, public outreach and education tools of these sites.Read moreRead less
Early settlements in Upper Burma (Myanmar): an experiment in urban living. This project directly increases access for Australian research to a previously self-isolated nation, Myanmar. It contributes to better understanding of our region and our world by examining how past communities worked together and how they dealt with social and environmental stress.
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
The Spandrel Hypothesis: Towards a unified theory of stone flaking. The archaeological story of human evolution and prehistory has a strong Old World bias – the impression is that main events were in Africa and Europe and Australasia was mostly irrelevant. This is particularly true where stone tools are concerned: Australasian tools appear not to track the progression in technology that appears to be present in the Old World Standard Sequence. This project will test whether the Standard Sequence ....The Spandrel Hypothesis: Towards a unified theory of stone flaking. The archaeological story of human evolution and prehistory has a strong Old World bias – the impression is that main events were in Africa and Europe and Australasia was mostly irrelevant. This is particularly true where stone tools are concerned: Australasian tools appear not to track the progression in technology that appears to be present in the Old World Standard Sequence. This project will test whether the Standard Sequence has been overinterpreted and the pattern recognised for Australasia is in fact applicable world-wide. The results of the project will enhance the way Australia interprets itself and the Australasian region to the rest of the world. This is a goal of Research Priority 4 (Safeguarding Australia).Read moreRead less
The dynamics of human environment interactions in late Pleistocene and Holocene highland New Guinea: a study of the Ivane valley. The project will investigate how access to starchy plant foods facilitated the movement of colonizing peoples into new environments, and was critical to survival in Sahul (Ice Age Australia/New Guinea). It will aid in understanding the dynamics of human responses to the impacts of climate change.
Urbanism after Angkor (14th-18th century). This project aims to understand changes after the breakdown of low-density urbanism in Cambodia. Recognising the emergence of urban forms after the demise of Angkor challenges the global “Collapse of Civilisation” trope, and redefines the Middle Period of Cambodian history (15th-19th century). This project proposes that continuity, renewal, variety and adaptation are as apparent in Cambodia’s middle period as loss and failure. Applying landscape archaeo ....Urbanism after Angkor (14th-18th century). This project aims to understand changes after the breakdown of low-density urbanism in Cambodia. Recognising the emergence of urban forms after the demise of Angkor challenges the global “Collapse of Civilisation” trope, and redefines the Middle Period of Cambodian history (15th-19th century). This project proposes that continuity, renewal, variety and adaptation are as apparent in Cambodia’s middle period as loss and failure. Applying landscape archaeology to this ‘dark age’ of Southeast Asian history embeds the demise of low-density urbanism and the development of towns in an environmental context. Identifying adaptive pathways after ‘collapse’ could have implications for urbanism in the tropics.Read moreRead less