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JB/1970

T~-IZ J .. USTRALIAlT NATIOITAL UNIVE.t"'i.SITY

RZ::>EARC:-I SCHOOL OF PACIFIC STUDIEG

DEPARTNENT OF PREii ISTORY

ANNUAL REPORT 1969

Staff

Professor:

Senior Fellow:

Research Fellows:

Research Officers:

Research Assistants:

Senior Technical Officer:

Technical Officer:

Lab. Technician:

Secretary:

Typists:

J. Golson, H.A. ( Cantab.)

D. J. I-iulvaney, r..i.A. li.A.

(Nelb.), (cantab.)

c.A. Key

L.1-~. Groube Rhys I~. Jones

B.Sc., H.Sc. (capetoi:m) r-I.A. (Auck.) II .A. (cantab.)

H.A. Polach (Radiocarbon Lab.) R.J. Lampert. u.n. Ambrose.

W.I. I-lumford. J . l.i:. Flood (part-time, from

October)

J.D. Gower (Radiocarbon Lab.)

E.R. Hilkie

D. r-iarkovic (from IJovember)

Lois White

B.E. F ox (from July) V. Shea (Radiocarbon Lab.)

(part-time)

-Introduction:

The Department of Prehistory was formally established on 9th Ilay, 1969. Its research interests developed during the years in 1vhich it formed a Section of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology. This report includes the activities of that Section during the period January - I-iay 9. J. Golson, 1vho was on Study Leave from the Section during 1969, ·was appointed to the Chair.

During this year research was continued, ::::.. ::1d in some cases cor::pleted , on projGcts concernod ,-,ith recon:Jtructin[; uapccts of prehistoric culture and environment in Australia, I-lelanesia and Polynesia. In the Indonesian region, it extended its research interests from Timor to Sulawesi (Celebes), with an expedition jointly planned with the National Archaeological Institute of Indonesia. Three research scholars submitted their t h eses, although t1vo of them are still under examination. It is relevant to note that in this year which saw the establishment of Australia's first Chair of Prehistory, the third scholar, F.J. Allen, was awarded his doctorate. Allen received his undergraduate training at the University of Sydney, and he is therefore the first entirely Australian-trained archaeologist to receive a doctorate~

The radiocarbon laboratory in the Research School of Physical Sciences, with which the Department is associated, has been re-established in its new, permanent location. It has completed some months of operation under these new conditions, and an · excellent rate of output has been maintained.

General Activities:

Although Prehistory is a new discipline in Australia, the growing international status of this Department is indicated b y several invitations to m0mbers during the year. Professor Golson and :tir L.JII. Groube were invited to participate in a conference on Oceanic Prehistory, held in Fiji during August, and sponsored b y the 1-lenner-Gren Foundation. Both presented papers, summarising important research fields. In 1-iarch, Hr D. J. i-iulvaney was invited to present a symposium at the Peabody Nuseum of Harvard University, on 1 the discipline of Archaeology in Australia'. Lr I-iulvaney also became an advisory editor to the British Archaeological journal, Antiquity.

Four members of the Vepartment read papers at the ANZJU\.S r.ieeting in Adelaide 1 where 1-.x H. A. Polach also organised a symposium on radiocarbon 14 dating, and Lr R.L. Jones chaired another symposium. 1-Ir Jones served as joint editor of 1-iank.ind, the journal of the .Anthropological Societies of Australia . Professor Golson continued as an advisory editor of Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania, as did I-ir I-iulvaney for World Archaeology.

In the field of public education, members of the department presented a course on Australian prehistory to the Department of Adult Education, and I·lr Jones lectured on that subject on the J.. . • B.C. i .x Viulvaney addressed a meeting of teachers at a conference of the Victoria.11. Historical Association. Several departmental members presented papers to the Canberra Archaeological Society and other interstate societies.

~· -Regular seminars were held during the year, where staff and

scholars discussed their current research. In addition, there were seminars presented by the following visitors, ,vho also spent some time in the department, 1vhere they made themselv13s available for discussions. Dr Glynn Isaac, University of California, Berkeley, and i:>r R. Shutler Jnr., University of Victoria, British Columbia, were short-term visitors. Other guests incl1.1.ded n.P. Soejono, The National Archaeological Institute of Indonesia, i f. Shawcross, University of Auckland, Dr Isabel licBryde, Universi t y of New mgland.

l'lr 1-Iulvaney continued to serve on the Executive Committee and the Council of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies. During the year, he acted as an external examiner for the Universities of Auckland, Ne1v England and Brisbane; Professor Golson and 1.ir Groube examined for the University of Otago.

The Ph. ::::>. degree was awarded to F. J. Allen, 1·.rl1.ose thesis ,-,as entitled 1Archaeology, and the History of Port Essington 1 , and to J.I. Poulsen for his thesis entitled 1A Contribution to the Prehistory of the Tongan Islands'. Two other scholars submitted their theses for examination late in the year. There were seven scholars enrolled in the department at the beginning of the year, including one 1vhose course had finished; despite turn-over, the figures remained the same at the end of the year. One 1-~.A. student also was enrolled.

The symposium reported last year has been edited by I-iulvaney and Golson under t~e title Aboriginal Z..a.n and Envirorenent in Australia~ It contains 25 contributions, and is to be published during 1970 by the A.N.U. Press.

RESJ:A.Rcr= PROGR..l\.i .il-.iE

Australia

The appointment of ?-.ir Rhys Jones to a Research Fellowship, has strengthened the department in the Australian field. During this year, he carried out fieldwork in Tasmania and in western H. 3 .1'!. He is currently engaged in analysing and describing his extensive collections. The Tasmanian work was in co-operation with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, wi1.o sponsored a project to excavate and record the unique engraved art gallery at i -lt Cameron West.

Through the co-operation of the Department of Biogeography and Geomorphology, our department ,vas shown archaeological sites in western H.S.U. These have proved to be so significant that a research scholar, I-I.R. Allen, has taken the archaeology of the region as his thesis subject under the supervision of iillvaney and Jones. In addition, 1,;r J. Bowler, Department of Biogeography a..-rid Geomorphology, and Jones and Allen are combining on a detailed evaluation of a site which contains some of the earliest evidence for human occupation in Australia. They propose publishing a joint account of this research.

C.C. r.iacknight completed his thesis on 1 The I-iacassans', and it 1vas submitted in December. Together 1vi th F. J. Allen I s thesis on Port Essington, they both document the late prehistoric and early historic phases of the Northern Territory. Their archaeological collections and theses are likely to become sources for historical archaeology in the Australian-8outheast Asian regions.

- Jones and Hulvaney are joint supervisors of a i.-iaster I s candidate, H. Lourandos. His excavated Tasmanian material has been analysed and is in an advanced stage of preparation. ·

R.J. Lampert has almost completed an extensive memoir on his excavations on the N.S.W. south coast, at Burrill Lake and other sites. IIe is also conducting a major site survey along that coast. Because of projected industrial expansion in some areas, La1:ipert is examining them carefully to determine whether salvage archaeology is necessary.

Hew Guinea

Lampert has almost completed a pilot study of a group of stone axes from the Ne,v Guinea Highlands. He has devised a computer programme ,vhich, it is hoped, will not only assist their description, but will have wider application to other areas and implements.

Liss 2leanor Crosby, a research scholar, has commenced work in Australian and Hew Zealand Euseums, on collections of' hafted stone axes. This will be a catalogue, a critical typological study and an investigation of' cultural traits and their distribution, as represented by these hitherto unstudied but promising specimens.

Mr Groube accor.ipanied a research scholar, R.L. Vanderwal, into the field. They visited Yule Island and the adjacent mainland of south coastal Papua. Some exciting sites ,vere discovered, including a unique pottery assemblage and a site with numerous adzes possessing direct Western Pacific parallels. Vanderwal has returned to the area for an intensive field season. His supervisors are Golson and Groube.

T1vo scholars completed their fieldwork and returned to Canberra to analyse their finds. B.J. Zgloff spent six monthn excavating occupation mounds at llanigela, in the Northern District, ,.,:1ere he made a very extensive collection of potsherds. IIe also worked on a survey of ICiriwina Island, in the Trobriand group, in co-operation with another scholar, P.K. Lauer. Lauer studied pottery manufacturing techniques in the D 1 .Entrecasteau.x group. He also investigated the econor.tlc significance of' pottery, and t:1e r.1ethods of' its distribution and exchange. The information which he obtained is of' c.onsiderable relevance to technological and trade studies in other parts of the world, and to 1-.alinowski I s classic research in the same area.

Is land 1-.elanesia

J.R. Specht completed his thesis on the excavations at Buka; it is under examination. It makes a useful contribution to the knowledge of pre:1.istoric pottery typology and distribution in the 3.H. Pacific.

He,,; Zealand

I-Ir L.l-i . Groube is writing a book incorporating his researcl1. extending over many years into New Zealand and Polynesian prehistory. His work includes a critical evaluation of i,.aori traditional history, settlement patterns and population dynamics, as well as archaeological data. He completed another paper on 11.iaori fortifications.

Li.ss Blea.nor Crosby continued work on J. Golson I s flake stone artifact collections from Ne,1 Zealand. They have been processed and coded for a computer programme.

' 9 tuguese Timor

I.C. Glover is in an advanced stage of preparing his doctoral thesis on the archaeology of selected areas of Portuguese Timor. He has analysed his stone implement and ceramic finds, and relat zd them to the context of Southeast Asian archaeology by attempting a critical appraisal of published research in that region. Some of his most significant results concern his faunal evidence. __ e can demonstrate tl1.e appearance of domesticated species (pig) betueen 4500 and 5500 years ago, while there were i mportant changes in the native fauna of the area. His sample of identifiable rn.t jaws numbers a fe,v thousand and includes some hitherto unrecorded species.

Indonesia

In July-August, t!lis department co-operated with the ITational Archaeological Institute of Indonesia, in a joint expedition to Sulawesi. Leaders were !,iulvaney and R.P. Soejono; Glover and I1iacknight were members. Several cave deposits were excavated, both south and east of 1-Iacassar. Important stone implement collections were made, which suggest possible con.."i.ections between that area and prehistoric Australia. On the other hand, excavated pottery links with ma--riy other island southeast Asian areas and, possibly, Helanesia. The results achieved, and the active support of Indonesian authorities, justifies further research. Australian members lectured at four Indonesian universities .

Petrographic and Allied Research

Lr C.A. Key continued his research on the types of pottery ma de in llelanesia, including New Guinea. He has made thin sections of many prehistoric potsherds, which have been collected by himself and other departmental members. The result is a significant co-operative venture, which is adding considerably to the lmowledge of ceramic technology and distribution. Key has given specific assistance and advice to archaeologists both in this department and elsewhere.

Conservation and Experimental Work

U.R. Ambrose has continued research on moans of preserving wa terlogged timber. His technique of freeze-drying has been further improved. His success has brought him an invitation to address a conference of the International Institute of Conservation on his methods.

He has undertaken a progra1.une of experimental weathering of common organic items. These test samples have been placed in archaeological deposits in N.s. u. , IJew Guinea and New Zealand, and produced promising initial results.

Radiocarbon ~ating

The laboratory was moved to its ne,v location and counting operations were resumed in Ju.ly on a liquid Scintillation spectrometer. In the interim, the counting technique was modified and equipment re-designed, with the result that both output and precision have increased . Research continued into the dating of the organic fraction in buried soils , and into dating soil carbonates . llost of this research is in close collaboration with the Department of Biogeography and Geomorphology.

The laboratory has provided an essential service to this department , but its value is much wider than this . ArchaeologistG are able to discuss specific probler:is of sample collection or contamination, and in other instances, t o subr:ri.t important but meagre samples, and receive a helpful result . i ;r J . Go,·rer ,-ras a ppointed to the staff as a ~enior Technical Officer .

Ambrose, w.n. 1968

Glover, I.e. 1969

Glover, I.e. and 1969

Golson, J. 1969

Groube, L.H. 1969

Jones, R.II. 1969

FUBLICATIOIT3

The neglected role of conservation in Australian 1-iuseums. ICalori Journal of the i-~useums Association of Australia 35:21-JJ.

Conservation in the Field. Kalori 35:34-45.

Radiocarbon dates from Portuguese Timor. Archaeology and Ph.1sical Anthropology in Oceania 4(2 :107-12

The use of factor analysis for the discovery of artefact types. liankind, 7( 1) :36-51.

Lampert, R.J. Puntutjarpa rockshelter excavations by R.A . Gould: a critical review, Archaeoloo- and Ph sical i..nthro oloo­in Oceania ~ 3 :222-8.

Sources :for a History of the Port 1-.i:oresby Region: Introduction. In The History of Lelanesia published by Research School of Pacific Studies, A.N.U. and The University of Papua and 1Je·w Guinea. pp. 401 -2.

Introduction to Taurama Archaeological 3i te ILl.rra Beach. In The History of i-ielanesia published by the :aesearch School of Pacific Studies, A .N.U. and The University of Papua and New Guinea. PP • 403-9.

From Archaic to Classic i'-Iaori . Auckland Student Geographer, 6.

Fire-stick farming. Australian Natural History 15:224-G.

Bass Strait in prehistory. Tu Bass Strait, Australia's Last Frontier . Australian Broadcastin~ Cor.mtlssion, 3ydney.

- Key, C.A. 1969

Lampert, R.J. 1969

The identi:fication of' Hew Guinea obsidians. Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania 4(1):47-55.

Archaeological pottery in Arnhem Land. Archaeology and Fhysical Antb.ropology in Oceania 4(2):10J-6.

Some Arcl1.aeological ::3ites of the l'-~otu and Koiari Areas. In The History of' lielane;;ia published by the Research School of Pacific Studies, A.N.U . and The University of Papua and lJew Guinea. pp. 411-22.

Nacknight, c.c. 1969 Editor. The Farthest Coast: a selection

of writings relating to the History of' the IJorthern Coast of Australia. Helbourne University Press, pp. XIV+ 213.

1.;u1 vaney, D. J. 1969

Polach, E.A. 1969

Polach, E.A., 1969

Specht, J. 1968

The sea voyagers of' 2astern Indonesia. Hemisphere 13:7-14.

The Prehistor~ of Australia. Thames and Hudson, London; Praeger, New York. pp. 276.

Indonesian prehistory as seen from Australia. E.§fl!.isphere 1 J: 14-20.

Optimisation of' liquid scintillation radiocarbon age determinations and reportiilg of ages. Atomic Energy in Australia 12(3):21-D

Chapell, ~, and Lovering, A.N.U. rtadiocarbon Date Radiocarbon 11 :245-62

XX J.F. List III.

Preliminary report of excavations on lJatom Island . Journal of the Polynesian 3ociety 77:117-34.

x Department of Geology, School of General Studies

xx then Department of Geophysics and Geocheraistry, Research School of Physical Sciences.