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Making Room for the Past: Determining significance in archaeological collections from historic sites. As a consequence of a recent rapid increase in archaeological excavations, Australian museums no longer have resources to store or conserve all archaeological material and require a systematic means of establishing collection management priorities. Through industry and academic consultation and case studies of particular collections, this research will develop criteria for assessing the research ....Making Room for the Past: Determining significance in archaeological collections from historic sites. As a consequence of a recent rapid increase in archaeological excavations, Australian museums no longer have resources to store or conserve all archaeological material and require a systematic means of establishing collection management priorities. Through industry and academic consultation and case studies of particular collections, this research will develop criteria for assessing the research potential or scientific significance of individual artefacts and entire collections from historic sites. Along with recognised measures of social and historical significance, the criteria will provide guidelines with which museums can develop national management strategies for this unique heritage.Read moreRead less
Suburban archaeology: approaching an archaeology of the middle class in 19th century Melbourne. This project has three main benefits. First, it will help Australians understand more about the richness and diversity of urban experience in the country, thereby enhancing the heritage value of Museum collections drawn from urban archaeological sites. Second, by focusing on the historical archaeology of the emergent middle class in Australia we will improve our understanding of the history of Austral ....Suburban archaeology: approaching an archaeology of the middle class in 19th century Melbourne. This project has three main benefits. First, it will help Australians understand more about the richness and diversity of urban experience in the country, thereby enhancing the heritage value of Museum collections drawn from urban archaeological sites. Second, by focusing on the historical archaeology of the emergent middle class in Australia we will improve our understanding of the history of Australian society during a crucial period. Last, it will enrich the social and cultural histories of Australia through a deeper and closer integration of archaeological and written historical information.Read moreRead less
A Historical archaeology of the Commonwealth Block 1850-1950. This project has three benefits. First, it will help Australians understand more about the richness and diversity of urban experience in our nation, thereby enhancing the heritage value of Museum collections drawn from urban archaeological sites. Second, transnational approaches to the archaeology of the modern world, with their focus on the movement of people, capital and technology will improve our understanding of the consequences ....A Historical archaeology of the Commonwealth Block 1850-1950. This project has three benefits. First, it will help Australians understand more about the richness and diversity of urban experience in our nation, thereby enhancing the heritage value of Museum collections drawn from urban archaeological sites. Second, transnational approaches to the archaeology of the modern world, with their focus on the movement of people, capital and technology will improve our understanding of the consequences of migration, and of the creation of global economies and local identities. Last, it will enrich the social and cultural histories of Australia through a deeper and closer integration of archaeological and written historical information.Read moreRead less
The Port Adelaide Historical Archaeology (PAHA) project. The aim of this project is to investigate the concept of neighbourhood archaeology in relation to the working class of Port Adelaide. There has been limited previous research on the residents of Port Adelaide and what has been done has mainly been from a town planning and sociological perspective. The traditional history of Port Adelaide has marginalised the role of the residents in the development of Port Adelaide. Archaeological excavati ....The Port Adelaide Historical Archaeology (PAHA) project. The aim of this project is to investigate the concept of neighbourhood archaeology in relation to the working class of Port Adelaide. There has been limited previous research on the residents of Port Adelaide and what has been done has mainly been from a town planning and sociological perspective. The traditional history of Port Adelaide has marginalised the role of the residents in the development of Port Adelaide. Archaeological excavation, therefore, along with extant collections, can provide information not available from other sources. Comparison with previous work undertaken outside Port Adelaide will also provide useful insights into life in early Port Adelaide.Read moreRead less
Life on the Edge: Pre-Gold Rush Settlement in South Gippsland, Victoria. The project will contribute materialist perpectives to the understanding of the development of the Port Phillip Colony. The project provides a thematic, contextual study as called for in the National Cultural Heritage Forum's 'Vision for Australia's Cultural Heritage' and required to support the new national heritage legislation. The project exemplifies the 'whole environment' approach identified in the present review of ....Life on the Edge: Pre-Gold Rush Settlement in South Gippsland, Victoria. The project will contribute materialist perpectives to the understanding of the development of the Port Phillip Colony. The project provides a thematic, contextual study as called for in the National Cultural Heritage Forum's 'Vision for Australia's Cultural Heritage' and required to support the new national heritage legislation. The project exemplifies the 'whole environment' approach identified in the present review of the Victorian Heritage Strategy by providing interpretations of setting, context, and broader cultural landscapes. The project will contribute to the enhancement of regional tourism product content by increasing the knowledge of one of the key heritage assets of the region. Read moreRead less
Producers and Collectors: Uncovering the Role of Indigenous Agency in the Formation of Museum Collections. The research will make a significant contribution to Australian and world scholarship, show the innovation and leadership of Australian scholars in the study of museum collections, and promote goodwill and better diplomacy with Australia's nearest neighbours in PNG. Through examining the history of social relations between Papua New Guineans and 'outsiders' in a region that has long been t ....Producers and Collectors: Uncovering the Role of Indigenous Agency in the Formation of Museum Collections. The research will make a significant contribution to Australian and world scholarship, show the innovation and leadership of Australian scholars in the study of museum collections, and promote goodwill and better diplomacy with Australia's nearest neighbours in PNG. Through examining the history of social relations between Papua New Guineans and 'outsiders' in a region that has long been the focus of Australian interests, the project will contribute to the National Priority' Understanding our region and the world'. By unlocking information about the origin and history of ethnographic collections from Australia's oldest museum, their cultural significance will be shared more widely.
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Rehabilitation of archaeological surface collections: Development of research strategies for the assessment, collection, and scientific analysis of lithic surface scatters. Archaeological lithic surface collections constitute the majority of prehistoric sites in Australia. These sites are usually ranked as low to nil priority in cultural heritage assessments for mitigation of site disturbance. Over 16,000 artifacts were collected from a bridge right of way (100%) at Camooweal, QLD. We will analy ....Rehabilitation of archaeological surface collections: Development of research strategies for the assessment, collection, and scientific analysis of lithic surface scatters. Archaeological lithic surface collections constitute the majority of prehistoric sites in Australia. These sites are usually ranked as low to nil priority in cultural heritage assessments for mitigation of site disturbance. Over 16,000 artifacts were collected from a bridge right of way (100%) at Camooweal, QLD. We will analyse 350 artifacts for organic use residues including dating, and use statistical analysis of the whole collection to arrive at a model for appropriate investigation of this site type in future. The research team is a novel collaboration between university, a heritage consultant, and an Aboriginal corporation.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0567201
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$77,428.00
Summary
e-Archaeology: Towards an Australian Archaeological Data Grid. The central goal of this pilot project is the development and implementation of an Australian archaeological digital collection platform based on existing High Performance Computing techniques and infrastructure. This collection will facilitate the dissemination and interchange of archaeological data across disciplines and institutions and across the public and private sectors; enhance archaeological research; and contribute to disco ....e-Archaeology: Towards an Australian Archaeological Data Grid. The central goal of this pilot project is the development and implementation of an Australian archaeological digital collection platform based on existing High Performance Computing techniques and infrastructure. This collection will facilitate the dissemination and interchange of archaeological data across disciplines and institutions and across the public and private sectors; enhance archaeological research; and contribute to discourses about Australian cultural heritage and identity. Our case study will be the Mill Point Archaeological Project in southeast Queensland. This initiative will build on existing developments made overseas and through strategic collaborations between UQ, ANU and the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UCSD.Read moreRead less
Cultural change in its environmental context: exploring, interpreting, and managing archaeologically rich, large-scale cultural landscapes in the Mediterranean Basin. (1) Production of a Holocene climate history and evaluation of long-term human response to environmental change in Mediterranean to continental climate zones. (2) Development of relationships with international researchers, including leading scholars from Italy, Bulgaria, the United States, and the Netherlands. (3) Extension of Aus ....Cultural change in its environmental context: exploring, interpreting, and managing archaeologically rich, large-scale cultural landscapes in the Mediterranean Basin. (1) Production of a Holocene climate history and evaluation of long-term human response to environmental change in Mediterranean to continental climate zones. (2) Development of relationships with international researchers, including leading scholars from Italy, Bulgaria, the United States, and the Netherlands. (3) Extension of Australia's leadership in Mediterranean archaeology to the Balkans through building institutional relationships and initiating a presence in Bulgaria (arguably the most promising country in its region for archaeological research). (4) Development of innovative remote sensing methods for archaeological reconnaissance with wide applicability, including in Australian contexts and by other Australian research projects.Read moreRead less
Bronze Age textiles from Dong Son coffins in Vietnam. This multi-disciplinary project breaks new ground in Southeast Asian archaeology by incorporating excavation with the conservation and analysis of a unique assemblage of prehistoric textiles already located in Dong Son coffins in the Red River delta. In recognition of the cultural significance of the archaeological materials to Vietnam, conservators are involved in the excavation process to reduce physical damage and the loss of fragile mate ....Bronze Age textiles from Dong Son coffins in Vietnam. This multi-disciplinary project breaks new ground in Southeast Asian archaeology by incorporating excavation with the conservation and analysis of a unique assemblage of prehistoric textiles already located in Dong Son coffins in the Red River delta. In recognition of the cultural significance of the archaeological materials to Vietnam, conservators are involved in the excavation process to reduce physical damage and the loss of fragile materials during recovery. The research will also contribute to Southeast Asian (and Vietnamese) archaeology by providing some new insights into the cultural interaction between South China and Vietnam during the late
prehistoric period.Read moreRead less