SEMINAR: Aboriginal archaeological case studies in Visible and Near Infrared � Shortwave Infrared Spectroscopy

Abstract

Visible and Near Infrared – Short Wave Infrared spectroscopy allows the identification of molecular bonds in samples by the absorption of energy at characteristic wavelengths. An introduction to the technology is provided. Two case studies in the application of non- destructive, non-invasive VNIR-SWIR spectral technology to Aboriginal archaeology in Western Australia are discussed: Hyperspectral Core Imager analysis of a small grindstone from Red Hill Camp in Swan River People Nyoongar Country and portable VNIR-SWIR measurements on in situ rock art at Weld Range in Wajarri Yamaji Country.

Biographies

Lionel Fonteneau is a Senior Spectral Geologist at Corescan Pty Ltd and a specialist in interpretation of iron ore, nickel laterite and oil/gas hyperspectral data. He has a Masters degree in geosciences from Université de Poitiers and through Corescan he undertakes Research and Development for their cutting edge Hyperspectral Core Imagers. Karen Horn undertook an HDR Preliminary thesis at UWA in 2016. Her project investigated whether portable VNIR- SWIR could identify the molecular constituents of paints made experimentally with ochre and carriers and/or binders. The final part of the project was scoped alongside the Blood of the Red Kangaroo project (www.facebook.cm/bloodoftheredkangaroo) as a field test of VNIR-SWIR readings on painted rock art in Wajarri Country at Weld Range but due to word count limitations the results of this were not included in the thesis. Vicky Winton is a UWA Honorary researcher and consultant archaeologist. She emigrated to Western Australia from the UK in 2008 and her research interests have evolved from a doctorate on the stone artefacts of archaic humans to more diverse aspects of Aboriginal archaeology in Western Australia.

Erick Ramanaidou and Ian Lau are affiliated with CSIRO and Graham Walker is retired (formerly CSIRO).