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
Indian Textile Technology as archaeological evidence for population movements in Early Southeast Asia. This project uses archaeological textiles to investigate population movements in the late prehistoric period of Southeast Asia. It involves collaborative links between researchers from the Institute of Archaeology in Vietnam, the Centre for Southeast Asian Prehistory in Ho Chi Minh City, the Fine Arts Department of Thailand and museums and archaeological institutions in South India. It not only ....Indian Textile Technology as archaeological evidence for population movements in Early Southeast Asia. This project uses archaeological textiles to investigate population movements in the late prehistoric period of Southeast Asia. It involves collaborative links between researchers from the Institute of Archaeology in Vietnam, the Centre for Southeast Asian Prehistory in Ho Chi Minh City, the Fine Arts Department of Thailand and museums and archaeological institutions in South India. It not only profiles Australian expertise in Southeast Asia but facilitates high levels of communication and the exchange of ideas. Read moreRead less
Crossing the Green Sea: maritime mobility, trans-oceanic interaction and remote island colonisation in the tropical Indian Ocean. Australia is an Indian Ocean nation. It is strategically and politically important to understand our Indian Ocean neighbours, including small island nations such as the Maldives and Seychelles. Researching their history is part of this process. Building a collaborative research capacity between Australian and other Indian Ocean scholars, publishing the results of rese ....Crossing the Green Sea: maritime mobility, trans-oceanic interaction and remote island colonisation in the tropical Indian Ocean. Australia is an Indian Ocean nation. It is strategically and politically important to understand our Indian Ocean neighbours, including small island nations such as the Maldives and Seychelles. Researching their history is part of this process. Building a collaborative research capacity between Australian and other Indian Ocean scholars, publishing the results of research, building them into educational curricula, and maintaining a pool of Indian Ocean scholarly expertise in Australia is a national and community benefit. In addition, research results on the history of human colonisation and human impact on vulnerable environments will be significant to Australia as an island nation.Read moreRead less
Persistence and transformation in Ancestral Oceanic Society: the archaeology of the first 1500 years in the Vanuatu archipelago. Supporting research programs with smaller Pacific Island neighbours fosters Australia's relationship with those countries generally. The project will contribute to regional capacity building in the areas of archaeology, heritage studies and management. This research will enhance understanding of the region's deep human past and the way it articulates historically with ....Persistence and transformation in Ancestral Oceanic Society: the archaeology of the first 1500 years in the Vanuatu archipelago. Supporting research programs with smaller Pacific Island neighbours fosters Australia's relationship with those countries generally. The project will contribute to regional capacity building in the areas of archaeology, heritage studies and management. This research will enhance understanding of the region's deep human past and the way it articulates historically with the rest of the world. It will advance Australia's understanding of its nearest neighbours as well as provide those neighbours with information that goes towards strengthening national identity. The proposed research has direct relevance to ongoing debates within Australian and World archaeology and related disciplines, and fosters international collaborative links. Read moreRead less
Northern Vanuatu as a Pacific Crossroads: The archaeology of discovery, interaction and the emergence of the ethnographic present. The project addresses the National Research Priority Goal of "Understanding our Region and the World". Supporting research programs with smaller Pacific Island neighbours such as Vanuatu fosters Australia's relationship with those countries generally. This research will strengthen our knowledge of the region's deep human past. It will advance Australia's understandin ....Northern Vanuatu as a Pacific Crossroads: The archaeology of discovery, interaction and the emergence of the ethnographic present. The project addresses the National Research Priority Goal of "Understanding our Region and the World". Supporting research programs with smaller Pacific Island neighbours such as Vanuatu fosters Australia's relationship with those countries generally. This research will strengthen our knowledge of the region's deep human past. It will advance Australia's understanding of its nearest neighbours as well as provide those neighbours with information they can use to shape their own views of their past and its relationship to their present. The proposed research has direct relevance to on-going debates within world archaeology and related disciplines.Read moreRead less
Understanding the migrations of prehistoric populations through direct dating and isotopic tracking of their mobility patterns. This project will use newly developed isotopic methods for the systematic analysis of prehistoric human remains. The assessment of their age and origins will give new insights in the timing of human evolution and the mobility of prehistoric humans in Central Europe and the Pacific.
Food, drink and sociality in the early Roman Empire and their significance for understanding ancient family and community life. To understand and be secure in the present we must understand the past. The Roman world was multi-cultural and multi-ethnic - a foundation for modern European and Mediterranean cultures. It, therefore, has deep significance for contemporary Australia and its migrant populations. Knowledge of Roman social practices can provide unique insights into issues and dilemmas fac ....Food, drink and sociality in the early Roman Empire and their significance for understanding ancient family and community life. To understand and be secure in the present we must understand the past. The Roman world was multi-cultural and multi-ethnic - a foundation for modern European and Mediterranean cultures. It, therefore, has deep significance for contemporary Australia and its migrant populations. Knowledge of Roman social practices can provide unique insights into issues and dilemmas facing Australian society. Eating behaviours and food practices are of great public interest and understanding the foodways of people in the past is vital to these debates. This project also places Australia at the forefront of archaeological research and guarantees its international prominence in Roman social history.Read moreRead less
A study of ancient jade trading networks in prehistoric southern China and Southeast Asia, 3000 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 750 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 Asian countri ....A study of ancient jade trading networks in prehistoric southern China and Southeast Asia, 3000 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 750 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 Asian countries, through research collaboration and the dissemination of original research results, enhancing Australia's status as a supportive neighbour in the region.Read moreRead less
Transformations and Persistence in the Holocene in East Timor: Unpacking the Island Southeast Asian Neolithic and Metal Age Cultural Packages. This project will be of great benefit in understanding culture interaction and change in our region. The close relationship between Timor and Greater Australia throughout the Holocene, and its place in Southeast Asia link it both east and west through time. In addition to understanding the nature of interaction between communities, we seek to understand ....Transformations and Persistence in the Holocene in East Timor: Unpacking the Island Southeast Asian Neolithic and Metal Age Cultural Packages. This project will be of great benefit in understanding culture interaction and change in our region. The close relationship between Timor and Greater Australia throughout the Holocene, and its place in Southeast Asia link it both east and west through time. In addition to understanding the nature of interaction between communities, we seek to understand how the Timorese responded, through time, to environmental variability and how this affected local culture. Furthermore, our particular focus on production technologies, as well as testing theories of migration and replacement for the Neolithic, allow us to see the nature of innovation within Timorese society.Read moreRead less
Hellenistic Jebel Khalid on the Euphrates,North Syria: the archaeology and history of a Seleucid settlement. Jebel Khalid, a large fortified town guarding a strategic crossing-point on the Euphrates, appears to have been established as a military colony early in the Seleucid period (?=Syrian Amphipolis). Excavation is revealing how far the immigrant Greek/Macedonian colonists settled down to live with the native populations. It is also revealing much about Greek defence systems; about adaptation ....Hellenistic Jebel Khalid on the Euphrates,North Syria: the archaeology and history of a Seleucid settlement. Jebel Khalid, a large fortified town guarding a strategic crossing-point on the Euphrates, appears to have been established as a military colony early in the Seleucid period (?=Syrian Amphipolis). Excavation is revealing how far the immigrant Greek/Macedonian colonists settled down to live with the native populations. It is also revealing much about Greek defence systems; about adaptations of Greek architecture and town-planning (both public and domestic) to local conditions; about civic amenities as well as domestic and religious life; about economic and trading contacts. Important stratigraphic control is also being established over dating Hellenistic pottery, both imported and local wares.Read moreRead less