The Creation of Southeast Asian Peoples and Cultures, 3500 BC to AD 500. This project will make a significant intellectual contribution to enhancing Australia's awareness of the histories of neighbouring populations in Southeast Asia that in total exceed 350 million people. It will thus contribute to a better understanding of our region and the world. The project will also benefit the indigenous populations and future researchers of neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, through training, resea ....The Creation of Southeast Asian Peoples and Cultures, 3500 BC to AD 500. This project will make a significant intellectual contribution to enhancing Australia's awareness of the histories of neighbouring populations in Southeast Asia that in total exceed 350 million people. It will thus contribute to a better understanding of our region and the world. The project will also benefit the indigenous populations and future researchers of neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, through training, research collaboration and the dissemination of original research results, enhancing Australia's status as a supportive neighbour in the region.Read moreRead less
In search of the first Asian hominins: excavations at Mata Menge, Flores, Indonesia. Australian researchers will undertake a large, interdisciplinary project concerned with the most fundamental issues in hominin evolution and dispersal in collaboration with high profile Indonesian and American institutions. This project will strengthen international ties; will create other research, educational and exchange opportunities; and will provide a venue for training of local people, postgraduate studen ....In search of the first Asian hominins: excavations at Mata Menge, Flores, Indonesia. Australian researchers will undertake a large, interdisciplinary project concerned with the most fundamental issues in hominin evolution and dispersal in collaboration with high profile Indonesian and American institutions. This project will strengthen international ties; will create other research, educational and exchange opportunities; and will provide a venue for training of local people, postgraduate students, technical staff and other participants in a range of skills (e.g. survey, mapping, excavation, data management).Read moreRead less
Cultural and Environmental Shifts in Late Holocene East Timor: Evidence for Climate Change? This project will address the NRP goal of responding to climate change and variability by advancing our knowledge and understanding of recent climate change in our region. An investigation of climate change, environmental impact and human adaptation in East Timor over the last 1000 years will improve our understanding of such issues in neighbouring tropical Australia. Our climate is already highly variabl ....Cultural and Environmental Shifts in Late Holocene East Timor: Evidence for Climate Change? This project will address the NRP goal of responding to climate change and variability by advancing our knowledge and understanding of recent climate change in our region. An investigation of climate change, environmental impact and human adaptation in East Timor over the last 1000 years will improve our understanding of such issues in neighbouring tropical Australia. Our climate is already highly variable and we can expect future climate change to have significant influence both on Australia's environment and her communities. This project has policy development implications and will further enhance Australia's international reputation as a research base for environmental studies. Read moreRead less
Leading-edge digital reconstruction and biomechanical modelling meet the Neanderthal skull: So why the long face? Perhaps no other extinct species has excited scientific or popular imagination as has our closest cousin, the Neanderthal. Who were these people? Once presented as the archetypal brute, it is now increasingly clear that these powerful, large brained humans were capable of sophisticated behaviours and that most of us carry Neanderthal DNA. Yet many questions remain. One of the most pe ....Leading-edge digital reconstruction and biomechanical modelling meet the Neanderthal skull: So why the long face? Perhaps no other extinct species has excited scientific or popular imagination as has our closest cousin, the Neanderthal. Who were these people? Once presented as the archetypal brute, it is now increasingly clear that these powerful, large brained humans were capable of sophisticated behaviours and that most of us carry Neanderthal DNA. Yet many questions remain. One of the most persistent is why the distinctive drawn out, prognathous face? The project will address this question, applying and developing recent advances the applicants have made in digital reconstruction and modelling, maintaining Australian research at the leading edge in the fast growing fields of virtual reconstruction and comparative biomechanics.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
Origins, health and demography of ancestral Southeast Asians: 2500 BC to 1000 AD. This project will investigate the origins, demography and health of ancestral Southeast Asian peoples, particularly during and after the Neolithic revolution. This crucial and transformative period in prehistory ushered into Southeast Asia the first farmers, novel technological changes, waves of new migrants and hitherto unknown diseases.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101384
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$440,244.00
Summary
Investigating complex mortuary practices in the Neolithic Near East. The main aim of this project is to investigate complex multi-stage mortuary practices through the integration of archaeo-anthropology, forensic science and ethnology. The methodological principles of funerary archaeology will be expanded by experiments at the only Australian and Canadian body farms, and integrated into the study of Neolithic Near Eastern burials. Combined with ethno-archaeological research in Indonesia, anticip ....Investigating complex mortuary practices in the Neolithic Near East. The main aim of this project is to investigate complex multi-stage mortuary practices through the integration of archaeo-anthropology, forensic science and ethnology. The methodological principles of funerary archaeology will be expanded by experiments at the only Australian and Canadian body farms, and integrated into the study of Neolithic Near Eastern burials. Combined with ethno-archaeological research in Indonesia, anticipated outcomes include new methods for the study of multi-stage mortuary processes, together with refined knowledge about social differentiation and ideology in the world’s first proto-urban settlements. This study will emphasise Australia’s pioneering role in combining archaeo-anthropology with forensic science.
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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
A real-time biomechanical study of Neanderthal anterior dentition. This project aims to advance understanding of the evolution of human dentition using an innovative approach that integrates sophisticated 3D digital modelling with engineering tools. Neanderthals are our closest extinct human relatives that inhabited Eurasia from about 230,000 to 28,000 years ago. However, their protruding faces, large noses and big anterior teeth, raise questions about why these people look so different from us. ....A real-time biomechanical study of Neanderthal anterior dentition. This project aims to advance understanding of the evolution of human dentition using an innovative approach that integrates sophisticated 3D digital modelling with engineering tools. Neanderthals are our closest extinct human relatives that inhabited Eurasia from about 230,000 to 28,000 years ago. However, their protruding faces, large noses and big anterior teeth, raise questions about why these people look so different from us. This project aims to fill this gap in human knowledge about our evolutionary history, and to enhance the international visibility of Australian research in palaeoanthropology and dental biomechanics.Read moreRead less
The recognition, interpretation and management of significant rock art and related dreaming (Jukurrpa) sites on the Canning Stock Route, Western Australia. The Canning Stock Route is an iconic linear transect of profound importance to a variety of parties: the original inhabitants of the Western Desert, surveyors and drovers who used it in the 20th century and more recently tourists and outback adventurers. Systematic documentation, mapping and synthesis of Indigenous cultural values of the Cann ....The recognition, interpretation and management of significant rock art and related dreaming (Jukurrpa) sites on the Canning Stock Route, Western Australia. The Canning Stock Route is an iconic linear transect of profound importance to a variety of parties: the original inhabitants of the Western Desert, surveyors and drovers who used it in the 20th century and more recently tourists and outback adventurers. Systematic documentation, mapping and synthesis of Indigenous cultural values of the Canning Stock Route will provide a unique resource of benefit to traditional custodians as well as the wider community. Accurate information on sites, places and landscapes and their cultural and scientific values should underpin successful management, protection of sites and sustainable use of the Canning Stock Route into the future.Read moreRead less