The Archaeological and Anthropological Society of Victoria is a group that promotes the study of archaeology, anthropology, ethno-archaeology and ethno-history in both Australia and further abroad. Lectures, from a range of talented presenters, are held every third Thursday of the month at 6:30pm at the Kathleen Syme Library & Community Centre (251 Faraday St, Carlton), and are also accessible online via Zoom.
**To attend via Zoom, register with this link, and you will be emailed your code.
Next Lectures: 6.30pm Thursday 17 July 2025
Creating a ceramic typology using machine learning: a case study from the Middle Bronze Age South Caucasus
Presented by Rebecca Neville, PhD candidate, Monash University
My research uses a case study of painted pottery from the Middle Bronze Age South Caucasus to evaluate the effectiveness of machine learning applications for creating a typology to support archaeological studies. This presentation will provide background on the ceramic artefacts being studied, introduce the machine learning approach used in the research, and examine key applications.
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Communication and the coinage: divine ideology and imperial legitimacy in the age of Diocletian
Presented by Dean Astrella, PhD candidate, Monash University
In 284 CE, Diocletian became Roman emperor after a prolonged period of political and military turmoil, often referred to by modern scholars as the “Third-Century Crisis.” To secure his newly acquired power, Diocletian established a system of rule known as the Tetrarchy, appointing three other co-emperors to share imperial authority with him. Alongside this political reform, the state adopted a distinctive religious ideology centred on the worship of Jupiter and Hercules, a development that served to legitimise the regime. This study examines the ideological messaging conveyed through Roman coinage during the reign of Diocletian (284–305 CE). By conducting a quantitative analysis of Roman coin hoards from this period, it seeks to explore how religious imagery and messaging evolved over time. Specifically, the study focuses on changes in the variety of coin types and denominations, aiming to understand how these shifts reflected and reinforced the legitimacy of the Tetrarchy’s dynamic power structure.
Previous Lecture: 6.30pm Thursday 19 June 2025
A tale of three cities: Urban transformations in ancient Sri Lanka
Presented by Dr Keir Strickland
Senior Lecturer in Asian Archaeology at La Trobe University
Almost 2,500 years ago, Anuradhapura emerged as the first urban centre, and the first capital, of Sri Lanka. This was a status it maintained for almost 1,500 years, before being suddenly abandoned in the late 10th century CE. Following the urban collapse of Anuradhapura, urbanisation and royal power appear to have shifted south to a new urban centre at Polonnaruwa. However, this urban transition (as well as the form and function of ‘lesser’ urban sites during these periods) remains poorly understood. This paper presents some of the preliminary findings of ARC funded Polonnaruwa Archaeology Project, conducted over field-seasons at the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya in 2024 and 2025 by staff and students from La Trobe University and the University of Kelaniya.
Biography
Dr Keir Strickland is a Senior Lecturer in Asian Archaeology at La Trobe University, a post he has held since he joined the university in 2016. Previously, he was a Lecturer in Archaeology for four years at the University of the Highlands and Islands in northern Scotland. His PhD (Durham University, 2011) presented an archaeological reassessment of the collapse of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. Since then, he has primarily conducted research in Nepal and Sri Lanka, examining urban trajectories, archaeologies of Buddhism, international heritage management, and issues of sustainability, resilience and collapse in the past.
Notices
Post Office Boxes
We advise all members that AASV now has two mailing addresses. Membership address: PO Box 200, Benalla VIC 3672.
General Correspondence and Artefact subscription enquiries: PO Box 203, Carlton VIC 3053.
