What is Indigenous Archaeology?

Indigenous Archaeology in Australia is concerned with the origin of Indigenous peoples, their settlement and movement on this continent, their lifeways, and their cultural and social interaction based on the artefactual record. The archaeology of contact between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is another extremely topical and important field of study, given current issues such as Native Title and the reconciliation process. The social, ethical and political dimensions of practising Indigenous archaeology with one of the oldest living cultures in the world is a major aspect of the Indigenous archaeology stream.

Dedicated topics in Indigenous Archaeology at Flinders include:
ARCH2001: The Archaeology of Indigenous Australia
ARCH3305: Indigenous Archaeology in Australia Field School
ARCH3306: Ethnoarchaeology Field School
ARCH3307: Australian Rock Art Field School
ARCH3014: Indigenous Heritage Management

Current Projects

Establishing a chronology for Aboriginal occupation and art along the Norman River, Northwest Queensland
Investigating the Woolgar Aboriginal Massacre Site, Northwest Queensland
Archaeological Investigations on Bora Station, northwest QLD
Investigations of Aboriginal hearths on the Mitchell Grass Downs, northwest QLD (community poster)
Warnung (Hack's Point) Old People's Places: A collaborative approach to archaeological survey, research and management planning

For more information about studying indigenous archaeology at Flinders please contact the lecturers in Indigenous Archaeology, Dr Lynley Wallis or Associate Professor Claire Smith.