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2
A Message from the PresidentA Message from the President Page 3Page 3
3D Photogrammetry Modelling3D Photogrammetry Modelling Page 4Page 4
From the OutsideFrom the Outside Page 5Page 5
Studying Abroad Studying Abroad Page 6Page 6
My Industry PracticumMy Industry Practicum Page 7Page 7
Surf and Turf: ASHA/AIMASurf and Turf: ASHA/AIMA Page 7Page 7
AURA InterAURA Inter--congress Symposiumcongress Symposium Page 8 Page 8
WACWAC--77 Page 9Page 9
MovemberMovember Page 10Page 10
ArchSoc Heritage ProjectArchSoc Heritage Project
Mt Ephraim CemeteryMt Ephraim Cemetery Page 11Page 11
Survey HillSurvey Hill Page 12Page 12
Research, Volunteering, and CakeResearch, Volunteering, and Cake Page 13Page 13
Thesis AbstractsThesis Abstracts
Information for the FutureInformation for the Future Page 14Page 14
Life MembershipLife Membership
Heather BurkeHeather Burke Page 15Page 15
Bob Stone Bob Stone Page 15Page 15
National News National News Page 16Page 16
Upcoming EventsUpcoming Events Page 17Page 17
About DigIt! About DigIt! Page 17Page 17
Background photographs:Background photographs:
Cover: Excavating at Mallala. Photograph by Antoinette Hennessy 2012Cover: Excavating at Mallala. Photograph by Antoinette Hennessy 2012
Contents: Shovel at Mallala excavation. Photograph by Antoinette Hennessy 2012 Contents: Shovel at Mallala excavation. Photograph by Antoinette Hennessy 2012
Banners: Graffiti Plympton Railway Station Jordan Ralph and Prospect Hill Andrew WilkinsonBanners: Graffiti Plympton Railway Station Jordan Ralph and Prospect Hill Andrew Wilkinson
Back Cover: Glass stopper at Mallala. Photograph by Antoinette Hennessy 2012 Back Cover: Glass stopper at Mallala. Photograph by Antoinette Hennessy 2012
3
What a year! I want to begin this address by giving
thanks to the entire 2012 ArchSoc committee and our
members. This year has been the most productive in
recent times in terms of membership rates, finances,
social and professional development events and nation-
al and international exposure. Our aim this year was to
raise the profile of the Society and our members. I be-
lieve we achieved this very successfully and for this we
have to thank the unwavering commitment of each
member of the Executive and General Committee as
well as those members that volunteered where they
could.
This year, ArchSoc has had a bit of a makeover; we
have been known in the past as the Flinders University
Archaeology Society. Our new name is the Flinders Ar-
chaeological Society. We dropped the ‘University’ be-
cause it was superfluous and cumbersome to our logo.
The change from ‘archaeology’ (noun) to
‘archaeological’ (adjective) was to be consistent with
organisations such as the World Archaeological Con-
gress (WAC) and the Australian Archaeological Associ-
ation (AAA). We still call ourselves ArchSoc in any case.
We also have a new logo, courtesy of our Public Rela-
tions Officer, Antoinette Hennessy.
ArchSoc has also increased its involvement within the
Department of Archaeology at Flinders by organising
the catering for the weekly seminar series and public
lectures. We also played a proactive role in University
Open Days. Earlier in the year, ArchSoc hosted two
events that coincided with National Archaeology Week
and About Time: South Australia’s History Festival. Our
‘Plympton Railway Station Community Archaeology
Day’ and ‘Meet the Archaeologists! Night’ (MTAN) were
designed to present archaeological theory and method
to the wider South Australian public. Around twenty
members of the public attended the Plympton Railway
Station event and over 70 attended MTAN. We re-
ceived very positive reviews from the public for these
events, particularly MTAN. Thank you to James Hunter,
Heather Burke, Alice Gorman and Claire Smith for
agreeing to present at this event, it would not have
been as successful without your participation.
During 2012, ArchSoc has increased its involvement
with other archaeological associations. The Editors of
Australian Archaeology, the AAA journal, asked
ArchSoc to help with the journal mail-out twice a year,
for which ArchSoc receives $250 per mail-out. In Au-
gust, some of our members assisted WAC President,
Claire Smith with the mail-out of posters for the upcom-
ing WAC-7 Congress on the Dead Sea, Jordan, in Jan-
uary. The volunteers received a generous subsidy to-
wards conference registration, accommodation and
flights in order to break the financial barriers that stop
our members being able to attend the international
conference. Over ten of our members will be attending
the conference in January 2013. Flinders played host
to the Australian Rock Art Research Association’s
(AURA’s) Inter-Congress Symposium in September.
ArchSoc organised the catering for the two-day sympo-
sium to great success. This provided us with further
exposure, as we were integral to the success of the
event. AURA donated $500 to ArchSoc for our efforts.
A huge thank you to AAA, AURA and WAC for their
support.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as President this
year and I hope that the success we have experienced
this year will continue for years to come. I wish my suc-
cessor and the 2013 committee luck, although I am
sure they don’t need it. Jordan Ralph
4
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have long
shown their value to archaeological research and
interpretation, and photogrammetry modelling takes
a process developed in the Second World War into
the GIS arena. For the last few years now I have
been dabbling in recording archaeological sites us-
ing 3D photogrammetry modelling and related soft-
ware packages. While this is not an entirely new
idea, it is quickly becoming a useful tool in the ar-
chaeologist’s site and artefact recording arsenal. A
quick internet search will return numerous papers
and examples of this subject. This year I have man-
aged to test various software packages to varying
degrees of success at a number of sites both nation-
ally and internationally.
At the beginning of the year I recorded the bow and
cathead of SS Speke as separate three dimensional
models. SS Speke was wrecked in 1906 and parts
of the steel structure remain exposed to the rough
coastal environment of Phillip Island, Victoria. One
of the benefits that are acknowledged in a model
that can be rotated about three axes is the ability to
monitor site deterioration from any number of posi-
tions. This was a sentiment reflected in discussions
held while conducting field work at the Port Arthur
historical site in April this year, and again by the di-
rector of the Carsulae Roman Bath Project in Italy
where I have excavated over the last two years.
The ability to create a navigable model of a site or
structures over time and consecutive excavation
seasons adds value to a site monitoring system.
Digital modelling enables researchers to access
another analytical tool. While the ‘real thing’ is no
substitute, and the value of the model must be com-
plemented with documentation and other research
materials, the ability to make a model scalable,
measurable, and modular provides a level of usea-
bility to the investigator. In one example the ship
lines of a wooden model were produced using Pho-
toModeler™ software used in conjunction with the
Delft Ship™ CAD program. This application demon-
strated the ability to record the ships’ hull details
and from there extract plausible hull displacement
information in addition to the visual representation.
While on a field project in Pompeii this year I was
able to create some rudimentary models to demon-
strate spatial relationships surrounding grain grind-
ing processes in Pompeian bakeries.
Figure 2. Screen shot of grinding mills at Bakery RVI.I5.15 in Pompeii during the Pompeii Food and Drink Project season 2012. Photos: by Andrew Wilkinson and modelled using Autodesk’s 123D Catch™ beta software.
Figure 1. Screen shot of SS Speke cathead modelled from a series of images taken during the Flinders University 2012 Maritime Field School. Photos: Andrew Wilkinson and modelled using Autodesk’s 123D Catch™ beta software.
5
Throughout the project, time and access to sites
were limited so recording had to be done in an ex-
pedient manner. The results have provided me with
a suitable record that supplements my own notes
and other information collected while on site that I
can refer to from the other side of the world.
Photogrammetry modelling is not a means to an
end in itself; however, supplemented with additional
data from traditional measuring techniques to more
sophisticated spatial recording systems, such as
those achievable with LIDAR, the potential to ex-
tract appropriate data is improved. Additional func-
tionality to three dimensional models can be
achieved with the integration into 3D computer
gaming engines, and interpretive digital animation,
and GIS packages. These ideas open accessibility
to remote sites; provide additional interpretive de-
signs for museum exhibits; add to an explanation in
documentaries; and bring a new resource to the
educational environment. This last point is some-
thing to consider for students and educators where
access to resources can only be achieved through
a medium such as the Internet. As technology im-
proves and software and hardware costs decrease,
the ability to deploy recording systems to sites un-
der threat becomes a cost effective solution ensur-
ing something remains of heritage sites. To under-
stand the concerns UNESCO has on heritage sites
under threat go to: http://whc.unesco.org/en/158/).
Additionally, communities can contribute and add
cultural elements to virtual worlds.
As I head towards graduate studies in future years I
hope to pursue the potential of photogrammetry
modelling and related systems in recording archae-
ological sites. Improvements in software and digital
photography are bringing the capability ever closer
to the archaeologist with reasonable results achiev-
able following minimal instruction or practice. The
level of expertise will ultimately need to be reflected
in the aims of the project. Some earlier examples of
my own work can be found on my YouTube™
channel – griffonaus. Information on field schools
conducted by Flinders University can be found at:
http://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/archaeology/
fieldwork/fieldwork_home.cfm.
Information on the Italian projects attended can be
found at:
Carsulae: http://ww2.valdosta.edu/~jwhitehe/
Carsulaeweb/Carsulae_home.htm
Pompeii Food and Drink Project:
http://pompeii-food-and-drink.org/.
Andrew Wilkinson
Undergraduate archaeology student,
Flinders University
Having completed my undergraduate degree at
Flinders University in Education and History in
2008, I thought my formal education was finished.
However, this year I found myself returning to study
at Flinders, back in the comfort of learning, books
and investigating the past; this time, studying ar-
chaeology.
I was warm and safe; enveloped in fascinating arti-
cles about historical places, people, events and the
evidence left behind. Though soon I found myself
somewhere else; a cold place, but also sometimes
hot; an unfamiliar and strange place; sometimes
even… wet. I was outside the walls of a classroom;
on an excavation.
In August I was fortunate enough to participate in a
training dig in England. Before I left I was exhilarat-
ed at the thought of what it would be like. For two
weeks I would be digging, recording, interpreting,
cleaning, sorting, and bagging. I had always wanted
this experience. However; I will admit, the thought
was also overwhelming.
6
Two weeks in the field, when I barely knew anything
about excavation, how would I know what to do?
What if I did something wrong? What if I didn’t like
it? I felt like such an outsider, looking in at the world
I wanted to be a part of, but not knowing where to
find the door. Nevertheless I packed my trowel and
was on my way; there before I knew it.
Then, the learner in me took over. For two weeks I
breathed the dig; nothing else existed. Emails and
messages from home went unanswered, nights
were spent discussing finds and jokes were made
about having to drag me off site come the end of my
trip. I had never felt such a sense of belonging.
Four days after landing back home I was back out in
the field; this time on a Flinders University field
school to Redbanks, Mallala. No longer standing on
the outside looking in, but standing on the inside,
looking down.
Jessica Lumb
Postgraduate archaeology student,
Flinders University
For semester two of 2012, I decided to study in the
United Kingdom at the University of Leicester for a
new experience and for the potential to travel. I am
currently half way through my semester at Leices-
ter and I have learned so many new things, made
lots of new friends and been able to travel the UK
and parts of Europe. I have found that studying
archaeology in the UK has its similarities to back in
Adelaide, but there are many differences. For one,
the subject choices are very different. I am current-
ly learning about the Iron Age and Roman archae-
ology in Britain and Europe, which is fascinating,
as it is so different to what we learn back home. I
am also doing a subject called Archaeology of Pre-
history, which looks at the Neanderthals to monu-
ments and burial in Britain. The key difference is
that we are looking at Britain in many of these top-
ics, which broaden to Europe as well. I see a simi-
larity here also though, as we each tend to focus
on the history of our country, so I am finding it fas-
cinating to be learning about British history.
The other difference is that first year students here
have compulsory fieldwork at the end of their first
year, which introduces them to excavation, sur-
veying and many more archaeological techniques.
I find it sad that this is not seen in archaeology
back home, but I find that the best thing about
Flinders is that, it is self directed in the way that if
you want to do well, you will go out and gain expe-
rience for yourself and challenge yourself to be-
come a better archaeologist.
It has been one of the best experiences to come
overseas and learn about a new culture and histo-
ry, as well as making so many new friends. I have
made many contacts in archaeology and continue
to meet new people in the field. The history here is
so vast and archaeology is everywhere. I love how
the country embraces archaeology here and is so
welcoming to it. As well as the study side, person-
ally this experience has made me more confident
in myself and self-sufficient. I was nervous to leave
my home for six months and travel by myself, but I
have now found that I am capable of doing so,
which is brilliant if I ever want to travel or work
overseas again.
I still have four months away from home and still
have so many adventures and things to learn. I seri-
ously encourage anyone who is thinking of studying
abroad to do it, as it is so worthwhile and affects
your whole life in the best way possible.
Holly Winter
Undergraduate archaeology student,
Flinders University
7
As an elective in my Graduate Diploma in Cultural
Heritage Management, I chose an industry practi-
cum. I was placed with Australian Cultural Heritage
Management Pty Ltd (ACHM). As everyone knows
this company as a major leader in heritage man-
agement I was very excited. My supervisor at
ACHM Dr Alice Gorman, who I’m sure everyone
knows, organised for me to do as many things as
possible. I learnt a great deal about anthropology,
GIS, identifying artefacts and the before and after
process of a job. All the staff at ACHM were ex-
tremely lovely and happy to show to me and ex-
plain what they were working on. There are many
very interesting people who work at ACHM whose
stories and experiences are like nothing else. I was
lucky enough to be included on a couple of short
field trips, which was a fantastic way to witness
Indigenous consultation. Unfortunately the majority
of work is strictly confidential between ACHM and
their clients so I can’t say a great deal. However
undergoing a placement at ACHM was an incredi-
bly rewarding experience as well as a lot of fun! I
would encourage anyone who is able to, do the
practicum. It might not be with ACHM, it could be
with the Department of Environment, Water and
Natural Resources or one of the other industry
partners associated with Flinders. Either way, you
will have a ball and come away with numerous new
skills and friends.
Vanessa Orange
Postgraduate CHM student,
Flinders University
We would like thank ACHM for helping send
Flinders students to WAC-7.
This year's AIMA (Australasian Institute for Mari-
time Archaeology) conference was joined with the
annual ASHA (Australian Society for Historical Ar-
chaeology) conference; an event that occurs every
four years. With the theme of 'Surf and Turf' the
presentations were focused around (but not limited
to) linking both maritime and terrestrial archaeolo-
gy, attempting to counter the invisible line that ap-
pears between 'wet' and 'dry'. Keynote speaker Dr.
Christer Westerdahl (Norwegian University of Sci-
ence and Technology) began the conference with
a discussion on maritime heritage landscapes
Representations of archaeology and archaeologists in comic
books. http://superfriendsofdorothy.com/wp-content/
8
and his current work in Northern Scandinavia. It
was a fantastic start to the event, followed by talks
ranging from cultural landscapes of Australia, crisis
and disaster archaeology, Australia's rock art, con-
servation, legislation, and numerous project up-
dates.
While impossible to attend every lecture (there
were two theatres running simultaneously, loosely
divided between historical and maritime) I was able
to see a wide variety of talks on a number of differ-
ent subjects. Some of my favourites were:
"Archaeology in a disaster: The Christchurch Earth-
quakes and their Aftermath", by Katherine Watson
(Underground Overground Archaeology Ltd) which
looked at the hundreds of buildings needing record-
ing prior to total or partial demolition in addition to
significant Maori sites affected by the disaster (and
all done by only a handful of archaeologists).
"Archaeology and the Supermen" by Darran Jor-
dan, which explored archaeology's presence and
representation in comic books. Not only was the
audience in laughter almost the entire way through,
but discussion on possible ways to change atti-
tudes in the future provided food for thought. This
presentation can be seen here http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5LRoUNVLRc&feature=relmfu
or just search YouTube for the title of the paper.
Well worth the 16min, even just for a laugh.
"The singing line on the seabed: the remains of
Australia's first submerged telegraph cable to the
world" by David Steinburg (NT Heritage Branch),
an interesting presentation on the first telegraph
cable laid between Darwin and East Java in 1871.
Stretching over 2000 km of seabed at depths of up
to 838 meters, the cable is still in situ today and
was still in use in the mid 1900s.
"New directions in Public Archaeology- Serious
games" by Dr Martin Masek and Dr Mark Brogan
(School of Computer and Security Science, ECU)
reported on the development of a computer game
following the last hours of the AE2 submarine's
mission (The AE2 was lost in combat in 1915 dur-
ing WWII). The game allows the played to steer the
submarine, facing the same obstacles and com-
plete the same objectives faced historically. Cur-
rently in a development stage, the game can be
played at <http://ae2.ivec.org/>.
There were many more great presentations, not to
mention Flinders University taking to the stage to
present research based on Phd, Masters, and staff
research (myself included). The event was well
worth the travel and cost, and there is no price you
can place on meeting potential employers and im-
mersing yourself in what's current within the disci-
pline.
Cassandra Morris
Master of Maritime Archaeology student,
Flinders University
The archaeology department at Flinders University
played host to the Inter-congress Symposium of the
Australian Rock Art Research Association over the
weekend of the 22-23 of September. This symposi-
um saw over 60 papers presented by rock-art spe-
cialist archaeologists and rock-art enthusiasts.
The symposium was held in the Function Centre on
the Bedford Park campus and the Flinders Archae-
ological Society organised the catering (at very
short notice), but to great success and praise.
Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to hear a lot
of the papers as most of my time was spent wash-
ing dishes and cooking, cutting and serving food.
The papers that I did see were interesting and
9
10
raised several issues about the ethics involved in
rock-art research and rock-art interpretation.
Many researchers believe they automatically have
the right to knowledge about secret and/or sacred
practices of Indigenous Australians. A common
phrase often uttered: ‘I have permission from the
Library/Archive to use these images’. A question
remains, who are these unknown administrators and
why are they permitted to speak on behalf of Indige-
nous communities? The simple answer is: they have
no moral right. Legally speaking, they have a right to
grant permission for use of the images in their col-
lections and researchers, and are then permitted to
use said images. Ethically and morally speaking, the
power to grant rights to knowledge about sensitive
cultural material should remain with descendent
groups.
Regardless, the AURA Inter-congress Symposium
was successful and attracted over 80 delegates
from around Australia. It was unfortunate that the
Flinders Rock Art Field School clashed with the se-
cond day of this Symposium. Perhaps more stu-
dents would have attended, as they did on the first
day, had this not been the case.
Jordan Ralph
Honours student,
Flinders University
http://au.movember.com/team/649057
Hey there Mo-bros and Mo-sistas!
The Flinders Archaeological Society has decided to
change the face of men’s health, and will be getting
involved with this year’s Movember! But we need
your help… Not only are we looking for donations
(all of which will be going to charity), but we are
looking for more bros and sistas to join our team:
The Flinders Archaeological Mo-ciety!
Just go to the URL above and you will be taken to
our team Mo-ciety page where you can donate, join,
or do both! Feel free to share this link to friends and
family, or use this page as the source of all links.
Feel free to get involved whenever you’d like, and
Antoinette will put the link to your page here.
Our team mo-mbers so far:
Antoinette Hennessy (captain):
http://mosista.co/flindersaarchsoc
Andrew Wilkinson:
http://mobro.co/Griffonaus
Jordan Ralph:
http://mobro.co/jordanralph
Sara Wilkinson:
http://au.movember.com/mospace/3806345
Hailey Wilkinson:
http://au.movember.com/mospace/3806709
So far, we have raised a whopping $280 in just un-
der a week! Thank you to all that have already do-
nated to this cause. There is still another three
weeks of mo-growing and we would appreciate any
amount you can donate.
Antoinette Hennessy
Postgraduate CHM student,
Flinders University
11
In October, ArchSoc took a team of its members to
Prospect Hill for some field work as part of the her-
itage project we are currently assisting with. Over
the weekend of the 6th-7th of October, fourteen or
so came to help with field work at Survey Hill,
Mount Ephraim Cemetery and some volunteer work
at the local museum. For the most part of the trip,
all volunteers were split into two teams between Mt
Ephraim Cemetery and Survey Hill. Although mem-
bers had the freedom to swap teams and experi-
ence both sites, the majority gained an attachment
on the first day to their team and designated sites.
Mt Ephraim Cemetery was in use between 1857-
1915 and was also the site of the Pioneer Method-
ist Church, demolished in 1874 and replaced by
buildings at Prospect Hill and Bulls Creek. At Mt
Ephraim Cemetery, our team’s goals were to cre-
ate a basic map of the site using pacing and com-
pass, photograph the significant features (such as
the headstones and historic plaques) and record
headstone details. With a small team of just a
handful of students over a few hours on the Satur-
day and less on the Sunday, all 42 interments were
located and recorded as well as general site infor-
mation.
Some problems encountered included missing
graves (we could only identify 39 to begin with) and
a confusing map layout that conflicted with what
we could see for ourselves. Both mysteries were
solved with the realisation that we had missed that
there were multiple interments under single head-
stones that we had not accounted for (so there
were only 39 head stones but they reflected 42
burials) and one single pacing distance had been
recorded as metres rather than paces (we had ac-
cidentally forgotten to convert one measurement)
which had thrown out an entire quarter of the site.
The weekend was a productive effort by all in-
volved and I would like to extend a thank you to
Ray Bailey, Joyce Smart, the Prospect Hill Com-
munity Association, and Trees for Life. Last (but
definitely not least) thank you to all our members
and committee folk who got involved, and please
keep an eye out for future trips to the area as we
hope continue our work on the local heritage here.
Nessa Beasley
Master of Archaeology student,
Flinders University
For more on the ArchSoc Heritage Project, visit
http://www.flindersarchsoc.com
Mt Ephraim Cemetery entrance. Many headstones were half-
hidden under thick vegetation. Photo: Nessa Beasley
12
Prospect Hill was founded as a township in 1872;
however, thirty years prior to this Thomas Burr op-
erated survey studies of the surrounding area
deemed important to the establishment of pastoral
areas and the growth of the then fledging settlement
of Adelaide. The Burr family lived in the region for a
few years before mineral exploration north of Ade-
laide promised prosperity too good to ignore. In Oc-
tober this year members of ArchSoc took the short
drive through the picturesque Adelaide Hills and
descended upon the township of Prospect Hill. The
local community hoped we might be able to help
address their question “Where was surveyor Thom-
as Burr’s house or camp?”
The highest peak in the vicinity, Survey Hill, com-
mands a small area; now recovered bushland.
From this hill it is likely Thomas conducted surveys
of the countryside as the view would have had clear
line of sight to other high points across the land-
scape. Prospect Hill itself had its part as one of the
early semaphore communications stations critical in
the settlements early years.
Finding evidence of a house or survey camp is
proving difficult. For such an integral part of the
colony of Adelaide’s survival there is surprisingly
little information. There appears to be little docu-
mentation concerning the camp itself and archival
research continues in this area. It is unlikely the
house would have been built on top of the hill
where clear sight to other survey points would be
necessary. The surrounding area is heavily worked
farmland so physical evidence on the ground sur-
face around the site is problematic. Survey Hill it-
self was the site of the local council rubbish dump
for many years in the 1970s. The infamous 1983
bushfires swept the area clear. Subsequent local
dumping, clean up and bush restoration has re-
duced any obvious signs of settlement period ar-
chaeology.
It was this scene that met the small group of ar-
chaeology students on the October weekend. The
scope of this phase of the project was to perform a
surface survey of the site to look for potential tar-
gets of interest.
Jordan Ralph of ArchSoc and Ray Bailey of the Prospect Hill
Community Association at Survey Hill. Photograph by Scott
Jacob
Andrew Wilkinson using the Total Station at Survey Hill.
Photograph by Scott Jacob
13
Although restricted to specific parts of the site in
order to maintain the delicate ecological balance of
the fauna and flora in the area a couple of artefact
assemblages did reveal themselves as pockets of
surface deposit. Some of the material could be dat-
ed quickly to the 1930s, and other artefacts cer-
tainly more recent than that. Due to the state of the
finds and their position on the surface of the soil
these deposits must have occurred sometime after
the 1983 bushfires. A piece of metal found was
soon identified as a portion of a wheel from
ploughing equipment.
No direct evidence of Thomas Burr and the house
of his family were found, but it is still early in the
investigation process. Archaeological survey en-
compasses the process of elimination in as much
as it hopes to find verifiable proof. The importance
of the material remains of historical and pre-
historical sites is complemented by the oral histo-
ries, the folklore and the official records. The
knowledge and the enthusiasm of the community
for the history of the township and surrounding ar-
ea are truly inspirational.
The team participants managed to work through
site challenges and put into practice important ar-
chaeological field skills while working with the gen-
eral public, the media and the community. The pro-
ject is in its early stages and it is hoped further in-
vestigation will shed more light on the prospects of
finding the location of this survey camp.
Andrew Wilkinson
Undergraduate archaeology student,
Flinders University
Keep an eye out in 2013 for another heritage pro-ject ArchSoc will be involved in as well as the Pro-spect Hill project. We are working with the Tea Tree Gully Council to set up a survey of historical ruins at Anstey’s Hill Conservation Park.
As part of our recent field trip to Prospect Hill,
ArchSoc members lent a hand to the Prospect Hill
Museum. With our many skills and able bodies,
tasks such as cleaning out leaves to prepare for
bushfire season, cleaning Museum areas and shift-
ing large items became quick and efficient. Not only
were we rewarded with the satisfaction of a job well
done, and the knowledge that we were helping a
worthy cause, but we were also rewarded with
cake. Grateful museum volunteers and members of
the Prospect Hill Community Association invited us
to their Sunday afternoon tea. We were grateful for
the coffee and treats, but far more grateful for the
company present. The afternoon mingling gave us
the perfect chance to ask questions that had
plagued us through the weekend; like why all the
headstones in the Mt Ephraim Cemetery were the
same.
Jessica Lumb with representatives of the Prospect Hill
Community Association. Photograph by Jordan Ralph
14
Nessa Beasley, Jordan Ralph and Andrew Wilkinson
modeling ArchSocks at Morning tea. Photo: Scott Jacob
However, it was also a great opportunity for ques-
tions to be asked of us; like what we found, what
we knew from our extensive background research,
and further questions that we could provide an-
swers for.
Prior to commencing work at Prospect Hill many
ArchSoc members took part in background re-
search. This background research took focuses
including historical information, environmental infor-
mation and contemporary information. However,
after we had said our goodbyes on Sunday after-
noon, and had returned to our warm homes and
computers, I continued some historical research
about Prospect Hill, with a new focus: answering
the questions that were posed to us during the af-
ternoon tea conversations. The following Sunday I
headed back up to Prospect Hill, armed with arti-
cles and information for the community members
and museum volunteers. On the visit I managed to
talk to community members and gather more infor-
mation, but more importantly, I was also able to an-
swer some of their questions. The joy I felt sharing
this information, and having more questions asked
of me was wonderful; and so was my second Pro-
spect Hill afternoon tea.
Jessica Lumb
Postgraduate archaeology student,
Flinders University
Master of Maritime Archaeology Thesis.
email: [email protected]
South Australia has numerous shipwrecks, material
from which is currently displayed across the state in
many different museums. Analysing the register en-
tries for these artefacts, this thesis studies the quali-
ty and quantity of information recorded. Across 23
museums data was collected in person, via email
and mail and resulted in 645 artefacts recorded and
discussed. These artefacts were loaded into a spe-
cially designed database system,
Compass from the Albatross,on display at Port Victoria
Maritime Museum. Photo: Cassandra. Morris
15
developed from the museum registers themselves.
Records were compared against each other, in ad-
dition to collection management policies, and ar-
chaeological standards. This comparison illustrated
a distinct need for improvement within museum
register recording. Main areas of improvement in-
clude further details recorded within registers, the
necessity to document the artefact's story as op-
posed to just the ship's history, the computerisation
of registers across South Australia, and the imple-
mentation of standardisation throughout Australia.
These results demonstrate that South Australia is a
step behind other museums, both within Australia
and globally, in terms of implementing new technol-
ogy and standardisation.
You can find a digital copy of Morris’ thesis here:
<http://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/archaeology/
archaeology-digital-library/masters-
theses.cfm#master_of_maritime>
Two deserving members of ArchSoc were inducted
into Life Membership of the Flinders Archaeological
Society at the Annual General Meeting held on the
8th November 2012.
Heather Burke was nominated for Life Membership
to the Flinders Archaeological Society because of
the continued support that she shows, and has
shown, ArchSoc for many years. As a member of
the Flinders University Archaeology Department fac-
ulty, Heather has helped the ArchSoc Executive se-
cure funding from the Department and the Australi-
an Archaeological Association, sent field work op-
portunities our way, supplied merchandise for sale
and suggested ideas for new merchandise. It is
thanks to Heather that the ArchSoc has their fantas-
tic new range of knitwear, the ArchSock.
Aside from the financial and administration assis-
tance Heather supplies the ArchSoc, she is a regu-
lar at our events. We appreciate everything Heather
does for the Society and for Flinders archaeology
students in general.
Bob Stone was nominated for Life Membership to
the Flinders Archaeological Society because of the
continued support that he shows; and has shown for
a number of years. Bob’s determination to see the
Society grow by helping the committee where he
can over the years has benefited the ArchSoc im-
mensely. He is always willing to stop and lend a
hand; for this, the Archaeological Society thanks
him.
Bob is often seen assisting at many events, and
has provided exceptional donations to the group,
including hand-made prizes for raffles, such as the
coffee table seen in the photograph above.
Shaun Adams receives his raffle prize from carpenter
Bob Stone, as Claire Smith admires the quality of the
work. Photo: Jordan Ralph
16
(Submitted by Cassandra Morris, words by Jennifer
McKinnon)
The Australian Institute of Maritime Archaeology
(AIMA) is pleased to announce the launch of their
new website http://www..aima-underwater.org.au/
After several months of development we are excit-
ed that the website is now up and running. It has
many new pages and features including:
·A photo gallery
·Online AIMA membership registration
·A merchandise store
·A current news section on home page
·Host for the AIMA photography competition
·Members only login for discounts on merchandise,
electronic publications, etc.
·And much, much, more…
One of the best bargains on offer is a recently re-
leased CD of past AIMA Bulletins for only
49.95AUD! Have decades of research at your fin-
gertips!
A few of the functions are still being set up such as
the merchandise store and members login. We will
make an announcement when those are up and
running or you can check back. Please check the
website regularly for new content such as an-
nouncements and news. Don't forget to sign up for
the free e-newsletter for news and updates!
(Submitted by Jordan Ralph, words by Jacqueline
Matthews)
We are thrilled to announce that the Australian Ar-
chaeological Association (AAA) has reached the
milestone of 1000 current members for 2012.
This is the first time in the history of the AAA that
we have had a membership base of this size and
we would like to take this opportunity to thank all
members for their continued support of and in-
volved with AAA. Our 1000th member will be re-
ceiving a free year of membership to help celebrate
this milestone. We are also planning to provide
prizes for upcoming milestones in 1000's in the
lead up to the conference in Wollongong, more de-
tails on this are to follow.
(Submitted by Jordan Ralph)
Recently, the Flinders Archaeological Society was
successful in its application for a grant from the
newly established Flinders University Student As-
sociation. The total amount of funding that ArchSoc
will receive is $900 in the way of reimbursement for
fundraising costs, equipment expenses and field-
work subsidies. This grant comes from the pro-
ceeds of the Student Services and Amenities Fee.
For more information on the Student Services and
Amenities Fee:
http://www.flinders.edu.au/enrolling/fee-
information/ssaf/student-services-fee.cfm
For more information on the Flinders University
Student Association:
http://www.flindersone.edu.au/Content.aspx?p=34
17
Movember
(http://au.movember.com/team/649057)
Date: 01/11/2012-30/11/2012
Location: N/A
South Australian Archaeology Society’ AGM
Date: 16/11/2012
Time: 6.30pm
Location: Box Factory Community Cen-
tre, Adelaide City
End of year BBQ
Date: 01/12/2012
Time: 11.30am
Location: Mitcham Reserve
Mail-out of AA75, the journal of the Australian
Archaeological Association.
Volunteers needed!
Date: 03/12/2012
Time: TBA
Location: HUMNS 112
AAA35, the Annual Conference of the Australi-
an Archaeological Association
Date: 09/12/2012-13/12/2012
Location: Wollongong, NSW
WAC-7, the seventh World Archaeological Con-
gress
Date: 14/01/2013-18/01/2013
Location: The Dead Sea, Jordan
‘DigIt!’ was the flagship publication of ArchSoc for
quite some time until it ceased production a few
years ago. DigIt! was a well-established and good
quality newsletter that played an important role in
the ArchSoc membership. DigIt! has been revived
in 2012 as a result of the suite of reinvigorating
changes that this year’s Executive and General
committees has instigated. Our aim with this publi-
cation is to produce at least three volumes a year
so that students and friends of the Flinders Univer-
sity Archaeology Department can present their re-
search and find out about what the Society is do-
ing.
Previously this year ArchSoc has produced two
digital newsletters; for this edition we have decid-
ed to use part of the grant awarded us by the Flin-
ders University Student Association and print hard
copies for our members.
The current ArchSoc committee hopes that this
endeavour will be continued into next year and
beyond, and that this publication continues to grow
in readership and quality.
Any constructive feedback can be forwarded to:
18
19
20
Editorial team:
Rhiannon Agutter: Soliciting articles
Antoinette Hennessy: Layout and design
Jordan Ralph: Editing and layout
Andrew Wilkinson: Layout and design
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://www.flindersarchsoc.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/flindersARCHSOC
Twitter: @FlindersArchSoc
Web: http://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/archaeology/archaeology-society.cfm
Mailing list: https://listserver.flinders.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/archsoc