Australian Archaeology
Archived at Flinders University: dspace.flinders.edu.au
Full Citation Details:
Lourandos, H. 1976. Archaeological Field Work in South-Western
Victoria, 1974/1975. 'Australian Archaeology', no.4, 9-10.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD WORK IN SOUTH-WESTEW VICTORIA
The Problem
Most of o u r models o f A u s t r a l i a n A b o r i g i n a l s o c i e t i e s a r e b a s e d on s t u d i e s i n e i t h e r t r o p i c a l o r a r i d environments.
A s a c o n t r a s t t o t h e s e I have chosen t o examine t h e human
e c o l o g y o f A b o r i g i n a l s o c i e t i e s t h a t e x i s t e d i n t h e well-watcred r e g i o n s of s o u t h - e a s t e r n A u s t r a l i a . Thc s t u d y a r e a chosen was t h e Western D i s t r i c t o f s o u t h - w e s t e r n V i c t o r i a . The r e s e a r c h d e s i g n i n c l u d e s t h e e x a m i n a t i o n o f two b o d i e s o f d a t a ,
e t h n o g r a p h i c and a r c h a e o l o g i c a l , viewed i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e r e g i o n ' s e c o l o g y . A t t e n t i o n has been p l a c e d on t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of models o f s u b s i s t e n c e a n d s e t t l e m e n t .
Research S t r a t e g y
F i e l d work h a s now been d i r e c t e d towards two main aims:
a ) t h e a s s o c i a t i o n o f i n l a n d A b o r i g i n a l f i s h i n g a c t i v i t i e s w i t h l a r g e s c a l e w a t e r c o n t r o l s i n t h e form o f e x c a v a t e d d r a i n a g e systems. Research h a s c o n c e n t r a t e d on t h e Toolondo a r e a .
b) c o a s t a l economies. Research has c o n c e n t r a t e d on two a r e a s , Cape Otway and Bridgewater.
F i e l d Work i n 1974/1975
( I n i t i a l s u r v e y s were c a r r i e d o u t mainly i n t h e c o a s t a l r e g i o n between t h e P o r t l a n d area and Cape Otway i n 1973.)
1. Toolondo: An extensive A b o r i g i n a l f i s h t r a p had been r e p o r t e d and d e s c r i b e d from t h i s a r e a by Massola (Massola 1962). We a t t e m p t e d t o v e r i f y t h i s d e s c r i p t i o n and t o check on t h e s i t e ' s a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h A b o r i g i n e s . The s u r v e y s i g n i f i c a n t l y a l t e r e d M a s s o l a f s o r i g i n a l d e s c r i p t i o n . The s i t e c o n s i s t e d of a l a r g e e x c a v a t e d man-made d r a i n o r i g i n a l l y r u n n i n g c . 1 . 4 km and c o n n e c t i n g two p o n d - l i k e swamps l o c a t e d south-west o f t h e v i l l a g e of Toolondo. The d r a i n i s s t i l l p r e s e r v e d i n two s e c t i o n s , t h e l a r g e s t e x t e n d i n g for c.400 m e t r e s with t h e main c h a n n e l 4 m e t r e s wide and 1 metre deep. The l o c a l landowner, d e s c e n d a n t of t h e o r i g i n a l European landowners, a t t e s t s t o t h e s i t e ' s A b o r i g i n a l o r i g i n . The d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e s i t e conforms c l o s e l y t o e t h n o g r a p h i c examples of s i m i l a r d r a i n a g e systems, and p r o v i d e s u s w i t h a unique o p p o r t u n i t y t o s t u d y t h e ecology of s u c h s y s t e m s .
2 . S e a l P o i n t (Cape Otway) : The s i t e ' i s an e x t e n s i v e s h e l l midden l o c a t e d on t h e c l i f f s above a r i c h i n t e r - t i d a l p l a t f o r m , and c o v e r s an a r e a of approximately 400 by 4 0 m e t r e s . The s i t e c o n s i s t e d o f a d e p o s i t of over 1 metre Archived at Flinders University: dspace.flinders.edu.au
i n depth and r i c h i n faunal remains and s t o n e and bone a r t e f a c t s . The chief faunal f a c t o r is s e a l followed by s h e l l f i s h , f i s h , land mammal (mainly t h e smaller s p e c i e s ) , b i r d and c r a y f i s h . A s e r i e s of 7 t o 9 c i r c u l a r depressions had been dug i n t o t h e midden. We sectioned one of these. They conform t o ethnographic d e s c r i p t i o n s of Aboriginal house p i t s i n t o which h u t s were
constructed. The s i t e provides an e x c e l l e n t o p p o r t u n i t y f o r studying t h e humn ecology of t h e a r e a .
3. Bridgewater Caves : Excavations were c a r r i e d out i n two caves. The d e p o s i t i n t h e n o r t h e r n cave proved t o be badly d i s t u r b e d and we concentrated on t h e southern cave. Here more than 1 metre of undisturbed d e p o s i t was excavated.
The limestone matrix provided e x c e l l e n t p r e s e r v a t i o n o f f a u n a l and vegetation remains. Rich lenses o f ashy midden m a t e r i a l were excavated. The flaked s t o n e assemblage showed many p a r a l l e l s with Seal Point but a l s o d i s s i m i l a r i t i e s which perhaps can be explained i n p a r t by t h e two s i t e s T d i f f e r i n g a c t i v i t y p a t t e r n s . Bridgewater is o r i e n t e d towards t h e e x p l o i t a t i o n of land mammals whereas Seal Point i s c h i e f l y concerned with marine e x p l o i t a t i o n . Dates have n o t been received y e t f o r e i t h e r s i t e and excavations w i l l be extended h e r e and a t Toolondo i n t h e coming summer of 1975/1976.
Reference
Massola, A. 1962 The Native Fish Trap a t Toolondo, i n t h e Wimmera. V&?. Nat. 79: 162-66.
Harry Lourandos
Department o f Anthropology U n i v e r s i t y of Sydney.
Archived at Flinders University: dspace.flinders.edu.au
