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SEMINAR: Archaeology Seminar Series

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Today's date is Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Archaeology Seminar Series : Further explorations of the fossiliferous chert artefact record – building the links between the West Australian and South Australian archival records Other events...
Eocene fossiliferous chert is a distinctive stone used in the manufacture of stone artefacts commonly found in archaeological sites in southwestern Western Australia (WA). Since disputing the ‘offshore source’ theory for this material, our research has focused on the characterisation and sourcing of this idiosyncratic material. These investigations include the use of nondestructive high-resolution X-ray computer tomographic (CT) imaging at the Australian Synchrotron to map and identify embedded bryozoan (and other) fossils within archival artefact samples and potential source material from offshore drill cores in the Perth Basin and from the Nullabor Plain to the east.

In addition, we have begun to explore the South Australian archival records, including from key archaeological sites including Allen’s Cave, Koonalda Cave and Wilson’s Bluff. Preliminary analyses indicate that both the bryozoan and foraminiferal fossil assemblages offer a viable means to characterize and potentially source fossiliferous chert artefacts. The potential for long-distance exchange of fossiliferous chert by Aboriginal people across Australia is supported by the archival records and published documents of Bates, Tindale and other researchers. It is argued that the Eucla Basin was a major source for fossiliferous chert artefacts found both east and west of Wilson’s Bluff. Further work combining biostratigraphy and lithology with archaeology and ethnography is needed to explore these ideas further.
Speaker(s) Ingrid Ward, Mick O'Leary, Jeremy Shaw, Rosine Riera, Annie Carson and Marcus Key
Location Social Sciences Building, Room 1.93 (Fishbowl)
Contact Martin Porr <[email protected]>
Start Thu, 07 Mar 2019 12:00
End Thu, 07 Mar 2019 13:00
Submitted by Karen Eichorn <[email protected]>
Last Updated Wed, 27 Feb 2019 10:36
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