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: tayl0415@flinders.edu.au

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:

archsoccommittee@gmail.com

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: archsoccommittee@gmail.com

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