Abstract
The professional practice of archaeology in Australia is a relatively recent endeavor, only crystallising into a distinct discipline in the 1960s and 1970s. It was during this period that Australian archaeology was first taught at Australian universities, that professional organizations dedicated to Australian archaeology were formed, that Federal and State legislation was enacted to protect archaeological sites and artifacts, and that employment opportunities opened up, either in government departments and other institutions or in cultural heritage management. Since then, there has been an enormous increase in the number of recorded sites, as well as increasing evidence for their environmental and cultural diversity, a growing understanding of the antiquity of Aboriginal occupation within Australia and an increasing interest in colonial (historical) and maritime archaeology. However, there is still much work to be done in all areas of the country. Australian archaeology today covers a variety of interests: from Indigenous archaeology focusing on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander occupation of Australia over the last 50,000 years, to historical archaeology which deals with the last few hundred years since colonial contact.
Keywords
- Cultural Heritage
- Indigenous People
- Optically Stimulate Luminescence
- Torres Strait Islander
- Historical Archaeology
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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(2007). A Brief History of Australian Archaeology. In: Digging It Up Down Under. World Archaeological Congress Cultural Heritage Manual Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-35263-3_1
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