Project Aims

AWSANZ Conferences

Locational data standard

Sources

Contacts
 

Regional Contributions

South Australia

Tasmania

Project Aims

1) to bring together historical archaeology and maritime archaeology in order to develop an integrated analytical framework regarding Australasia's earliest maritime industry, its associated material culture and cultural landscapes;

2) to synthesise within this framework the results of archaeological surveys of shore-based whaling sites and whaling vessels along the coastline of New Zealand, Tasmania and the southern portion of mainland Australia (Perth to Sydney). Until now these sites have been addressed as isolated phenomena within each region and there has been little interpretation beyond that required for assessing the heritage significance of the sites;

3) to utilise this integrated framework to develop a sustained program of archaeological investigation on specific sites in order to address issues of technological development, social structure, colonial settlement, and Indigenous/European interaction in the whaling industry;

4) to communicate the results of the project with academic, professional, and general audiences through a program of seminars, articles, research reports, heritage trails, museum exhibitions, and monographs.