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, please register with this link, and you will be emailed your code.

The daily grind in ancient Aboriginal villages of the Murray River

Presented by Colin Pardoe and Richard Fullagar

Villages are found on the Murray River floodplain. Small wetlands form the nucleus of settlements defined by between 50 and 150 earth mounds. What were people doing in these villages over the last 3,500 years? They were making a living there for several months of the year, drawn by the resources following the spring floods. Many of their implements were perishable – nets, baskets etc. Items that needed to be traded in for particular purposes are all within the ‘ground stone tool’ definition of archaeological study.

These items had many uses in forestry, basketry, food processing and the like. They were common in the one sense that probably each family had a set of kitchen implements. Yet they are also considered to be rare items in the archaeological record — and particularly rare in earth mounds. We will relate the number and variety of these precious items seen in excavations and on the surface to collections found in farmers’ sheds and local Aboriginal organisations. And finally we will point to the kinds of studies that have matured over the past several years and are now poised to transform archaeology in a manner similar to the advent of radiocarbon dating. These are usewear and residue studies, and the best place to carry these out is on – you guessed it – ground stone tools.

Biography

Colin Pardoe began his studies in archaeology and biological anthropology as a teenager. He started university at Toronto and Winnipeg, finishing in Canberra (BSc, MA, PhD). He was awarded life membership of the Australian Archaeological Association in 2007, and of AACA in 2017. Colin has shared interests with local Aboriginal people in the Murray Darling Basin documenting the nature and distribution of people and their archaeological record. This continues a pleasurable task of writing for local audiences. He also works on predictive maps to assist with local aspirations in caring for heritage. His current studies include ‘Archaeology in the service of Conservation’ – working with Barapa and Yorta peoples and local community on the Murray River floodplain. They are making practical efforts to keep small-bodied fish of the Murray River alive using the residential patterning of ancient village sites for long-term wetland restoration at a small and local scale. As part of a small team consisting of Richard Fullagar and Elspeth Hayes, Colin continues his studies on the variety and distribution of Ground Stone Tools across the southern Murray Darling Basin.  He used to study the biological links between groups, and helps with unknown Aboriginal skeletal remains, using biometric and other methods for working out the place of origin of unprovenanced remains.

Richard Fullagar studied at the University of Melbourne before his first job with the Victoria Archaeological Survey (1978–82). He completed a PhD at La Trobe University, then moved to New South Wales in 1987, working as a consultant Research Fellow on projects in Australia, the Pacific and eastern Asia while based at the Australian Museum, University of Sydney and Wollongong University. He has published widely on traceology and the function of stone tools from key sites spanning early human and later dispersals. He is currently Adjunct Professor on research projects at University of Western Australia (Desert to the Sea: Managing Rock Art, Country and Culture), Flinders University (Rockshelters and Rock Art in the River Murray Gorge) and La Trobe University (Lake Mungo).

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.