The coming of the dingo and its interaction with Indigenous Australians. This project will identify more precisely the time of the entry of dingoes into Australia and will investigate their impact on the lives of Indigenous Australians. Archaeological and anthropological evidence suggests that Indigenous people rapidly incorporated dingoes into their lives. Dingoes were used for a variety of purposes and were particularly valued as hunters by women, effectively increasing their access to meat. ....The coming of the dingo and its interaction with Indigenous Australians. This project will identify more precisely the time of the entry of dingoes into Australia and will investigate their impact on the lives of Indigenous Australians. Archaeological and anthropological evidence suggests that Indigenous people rapidly incorporated dingoes into their lives. Dingoes were used for a variety of purposes and were particularly valued as hunters by women, effectively increasing their access to meat. Impact would include a re-organisation of gender roles and an associated improvement in women's fecundity. By examining evidence for such changes, this project will significantly contribute to knowledge about implications of the arrival of a living technology in Australia and, more generally, the human/dog relationship.Read moreRead less
The archaeology of Sulawesi: a strategic island for understanding modern human colonization and interactions across our region. This project will investigate the archaeology and palaeoenvironment of Sulawesi over the past 50,000 years. Sulawesi is strategically positioned to test competing models of initial modern human expansion, and trajectories of cultural change and interaction, across our region. It also addresses the National Research Program goal of responding to climate change.
Life ways of the first Australians. The project will enhance national cultural heritage assessment and management in the west Kimberley. This is a Australian Government priority because of planned Liquid Natural Gas and other developments in this region. Through the project officer positions, Indigenous communities will gain training and skills that will lead to sustainable livelihoods in cultural tourism or employment opportunities in government cultural heritage agencies. The project directly ....Life ways of the first Australians. The project will enhance national cultural heritage assessment and management in the west Kimberley. This is a Australian Government priority because of planned Liquid Natural Gas and other developments in this region. Through the project officer positions, Indigenous communities will gain training and skills that will lead to sustainable livelihoods in cultural tourism or employment opportunities in government cultural heritage agencies. The project directly addresses the National Research Priority goal of responding to climate change and variability by advancing knowledge and understanding of past climates, and assisting in better modelling of future climate change in our region. The project will provide postgraduate training in fieldwork and analysis for four APAIs.Read moreRead less
The Missing Millennium and the Origins of Agriculture in Southeast Asia. This project aims to investigate the missing millennium – a significant gap in our understanding of the arrival of food producing populations into northern Vietnam between 5000 and 4000 years ago, before their expansion across the rest of Mainland Southeast Asia. Substantial new insights will include information on cultural development and population ancestry, an enhanced archaeological chronology, and details of the subsis ....The Missing Millennium and the Origins of Agriculture in Southeast Asia. This project aims to investigate the missing millennium – a significant gap in our understanding of the arrival of food producing populations into northern Vietnam between 5000 and 4000 years ago, before their expansion across the rest of Mainland Southeast Asia. Substantial new insights will include information on cultural development and population ancestry, an enhanced archaeological chronology, and details of the subsistence economies of both farmers and hunter-gatherers in the region. Significant benefits are expected in understanding the population history behind modern Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100070
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$370,807.00
Summary
Radiocarbon dating enamel and the first domestic pigs in South East Asia. This project aims to develop techniques to radiocarbon date archaeological tooth enamel. In warm environments, it is rarely possible to date bone, as the protein targeted degrades rapidly. Without direct dates on skeletal material, chronologies underpinning archaeological studies across much of Australia and South East Asia (SEA) are insecure, hindering the study of numerous archaeological questions. Enamel is relatively s ....Radiocarbon dating enamel and the first domestic pigs in South East Asia. This project aims to develop techniques to radiocarbon date archaeological tooth enamel. In warm environments, it is rarely possible to date bone, as the protein targeted degrades rapidly. Without direct dates on skeletal material, chronologies underpinning archaeological studies across much of Australia and South East Asia (SEA) are insecure, hindering the study of numerous archaeological questions. Enamel is relatively stable, but it does degrade during burial. The effect of degradation on the radiocarbon age of archaeological teeth will be studied to identify the least altered areas for dating. Using these outcomes, a chronology for the spread of pigs through SEA will then be developed, testing models that explain how early farming practices developed.Read moreRead less
Using fossil insects and plants to recognise past human impacts on Pacific island biodiversity. This project will enhance our ability to characterise human impact on island biodiversity. It will develop novel research methods that can be applied in the Australian context to understand changes in biodiversity that come with human impact. The contemporary emphasis on biosecurity in the protection of Australia's unique environment against human-introduced exotic pests and diseases can be better und ....Using fossil insects and plants to recognise past human impacts on Pacific island biodiversity. This project will enhance our ability to characterise human impact on island biodiversity. It will develop novel research methods that can be applied in the Australian context to understand changes in biodiversity that come with human impact. The contemporary emphasis on biosecurity in the protection of Australia's unique environment against human-introduced exotic pests and diseases can be better understood in the context of past introductions. Our project will demonstrate the role Australian archaeologists and natural scientists can play in understanding the spread of humans across the Pacific and the environmental consequences of colonisation. It will increase collaboration between research institutions in the Australia/Pacific region.Read moreRead less
Waiet: Archaeology of a Torres Strait Islander ritual pathway. The project aims to provide a high-resolution archaeological record of ritual mobility by examining a Torres Strait Islander initiation pathway. The project is expected to generate new knowledge about human movement and improve public understanding of Indigenous peoples connection with country. Anticipated outcomes of the multi-disciplinary and community-led research include the first detailed record of ancient ritual mobility in nor ....Waiet: Archaeology of a Torres Strait Islander ritual pathway. The project aims to provide a high-resolution archaeological record of ritual mobility by examining a Torres Strait Islander initiation pathway. The project is expected to generate new knowledge about human movement and improve public understanding of Indigenous peoples connection with country. Anticipated outcomes of the multi-disciplinary and community-led research include the first detailed record of ancient ritual mobility in northern Australia and development of a web-based system to transfer archival information between cultural institutions and remote communities. This should provide significant benefits and assist Meriam people to engage with their cultural heritage and expand public knowledge about Indigenous forms of mobility.Read moreRead less
The origins of human colonization in East Polynesia and their relevance to maritime migration. The Indo-Pacific is a world of islands, including Australia, which was colonized during prehistory in several phases of migration, the last and longest of which was in East Polynesia. Extensive excavation of a large, waterlogged archaeological site of this era in French Polynesia will provide a better understanding of the period, society and external relationships of the early migrants, and of the proc ....The origins of human colonization in East Polynesia and their relevance to maritime migration. The Indo-Pacific is a world of islands, including Australia, which was colonized during prehistory in several phases of migration, the last and longest of which was in East Polynesia. Extensive excavation of a large, waterlogged archaeological site of this era in French Polynesia will provide a better understanding of the period, society and external relationships of the early migrants, and of the processes of prehistoric maritime migration which link Australian peoples to those of our neighbours across the Pacific and Indian Oceans.Read moreRead less
Colonization of the Mariana Islands and its implications for Indo-Pacific prehistory. The Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, is linked by seas and oceans that have been crossed by colonists in ancient as well as recent times. The most significant prehistoric migration was the movement of people out of southern China, into Taiwan, Island Asia and from there into Micronesia and across the Pacific. New investigations of the oldest sites in the Marianas will provide better understanding of ea ....Colonization of the Mariana Islands and its implications for Indo-Pacific prehistory. The Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, is linked by seas and oceans that have been crossed by colonists in ancient as well as recent times. The most significant prehistoric migration was the movement of people out of southern China, into Taiwan, Island Asia and from there into Micronesia and across the Pacific. New investigations of the oldest sites in the Marianas will provide better understanding of early prehistoric maritime capacity, the connections between migrant groups who settled the islands of Asia and Oceania, and the processes of Indo-Pacific colonization. Improved knowledge of our neighbours capabilities and history is of clear national benefit to Australia.Read moreRead less
The Niah Cave project: archaeological textile analysis. This project on archaeological textiles from excavations at Niah Cave in Sarawak involves collaborative links between researchers from many different disciplines from the Australian National University, the National University of Singapore, the University of Cambridge and the University of Leicester as well as researchers from the Sarawak Museum in Malaysia. The project is an integrated program of archaeological excavation and environmental ....The Niah Cave project: archaeological textile analysis. This project on archaeological textiles from excavations at Niah Cave in Sarawak involves collaborative links between researchers from many different disciplines from the Australian National University, the National University of Singapore, the University of Cambridge and the University of Leicester as well as researchers from the Sarawak Museum in Malaysia. The project is an integrated program of archaeological excavation and environmental science by an inter-disciplinary team from universities in Great Britain, Australia, Sarawak and the USA and will lead to further international collaboration.Read moreRead less