SEMINAR: ARCHAEOLOGY SEMINAR SERIES

The coastal Pilbara region has a number of rich and diverse rock art assemblages. Some of these sites correspond with more recent linguistic and cultural boundaries. Across these boundaries a number of mythological narratives can be traced, linking to sites across the landscape and through different language groups. This research project aims to explore the congruence between the rock art, linguistic markers and mythological narratives for the Kariera cultural and linguistic area, focusing on Port Hedland. While there is excellent overlap between some Pilbara rock art style regions and linguistic boundaries (as identified at contact), there is evidence for outliers which do not fit within this structure. Identified outliers will be unpacked to explore potentially older, deep time rock art traditions, to aid in the development of regional models of rock art styles both spatially and temporally. By using this methodology, the identification of an older rock art corpus may allow for exploration of the potential recursive and inherent agency of the rock art itself, in the structuring of other cultural practices including more modern or recent mythological narratives. The potential for relict elements within recent mythological narratives, where particular narratives have gained dominance or popularity and replaced others, may also provide for a better understanding of how people have negotiated identity within changing social structures and changing landscapes. This includes the ongoing interpretation and integration of older rock art, and the exploration of contemporary social values attributed to it.

The Minyiburu or ‘Seven Sisters’ songline recorded by Kingsley Palmer between Port Hedland and Depuch Island, will be the core mythological narrative explored.

This will be Sam’s Research Proposal Seminar.