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
The Taphonomy of Waterhole Faunal Death Assemblages: A model for Archaeological Contexts in the Australian Semi-Arid Zone. The fossil record provides key insights into factors governing the long term survival and distribution of animal populations. As people and climate change have been implicated in the reconfiguration of species' habitats through time, the fossil record has direct relevance to current issues of modern faunal extinctions and biodiversity. Robust interpretative frameworks develo ....The Taphonomy of Waterhole Faunal Death Assemblages: A model for Archaeological Contexts in the Australian Semi-Arid Zone. The fossil record provides key insights into factors governing the long term survival and distribution of animal populations. As people and climate change have been implicated in the reconfiguration of species' habitats through time, the fossil record has direct relevance to current issues of modern faunal extinctions and biodiversity. Robust interpretative frameworks developed in this study will provide an essential foundation to the investigation and understanding of past populations and environment.Read moreRead less
Predicting the Past: Time, Landscape and Indigenous Australian History. Three major benefits accrue from our study of the distribution of Australian Aboriginal archaeology. Because we emphasise changes in the nature of this record through time and across space, we allow for the development of a richer Aboriginal history. Our concern with studying not only why the record is preserved in some places but also why it is absent from others allows for an improved assessment of archaeological significa ....Predicting the Past: Time, Landscape and Indigenous Australian History. Three major benefits accrue from our study of the distribution of Australian Aboriginal archaeology. Because we emphasise changes in the nature of this record through time and across space, we allow for the development of a richer Aboriginal history. Our concern with studying not only why the record is preserved in some places but also why it is absent from others allows for an improved assessment of archaeological significance and hence better management of Aboriginal material culture. Finally, we emphasise the dynamic nature of human-environment interactions demonstrating that in the past as in the present neither culture nor nature can be seen as predominant.Read moreRead less