Rockshelter Excavations in the East Hamersley Range, Pilbara Region, Western Australia

Edited by Dawn Cropper, W. Boone Law

Foreword by Maitland Parker, Slim Parker, Martidja Banyjima Elders

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This volume offers a detailed study of six exceptional rockshelter sites from the inland Pilbara Region of Western Australia. Consisting of 18 chapters, it is rich with colour photographs, illustrations, and figures, including high-resolution images of the rockshelter sites, excavations, stratigraphic sections, cultural features, and artefacts.

Rockshelter Excavations in the East Hamersley Range offers a detailed study of six exceptional rockshelter sites from the inland Pilbara Region of Western Australia. It provides highly descriptive, chapter-length accounts of archaeological investigations at Jundaru, Djadjiling, HS-A1, HD073APAD13, PAD 3, and HD073A03 rockshelters, which were excavated as part of a mitigative salvage program conducted at the Hope Downs 1 mine between 2007 and 2010. The research findings show that early Aboriginal peoples initially occupied the area ca. 45,000 years ago, demonstrating that the east Hamersley Range contains some of the oldest known Aboriginal archaeological sites in the Australian arid zone. The story of the Pleistocene and Holocene Aboriginal occupation at Hope Downs 1 is long and complex. Using an extensive radiocarbon and OSL chronology that spans from >47,000 years ago to the recent past, the story of the Aboriginal archaeological record is explored via prominent changes in lithic technology, artefact use-wear/residues, combustion features, faunal remains, rockshelter geomorphology, archaeomagnetism, and pollen/phytolith analysis. The work investigates the early occupation of the region and examines the archaeological evidence for occupation during the last glacial maximum. It chronicles significant changes in Aboriginal stone artefact technology over time with its analysis of more than 35,000 chipped stone artefacts. Consisting of 18 chapters, the volume is rich with colour photographs, illustrations, and figures, including highresolution images of the rockshelter sites, excavations, stratigraphic sections, cultural features, and artefacts. It includes a foreword by the Martidja Banyjima elders, who contextualise the cultural importance of this work to Banyjima Peoples and Traditional Owners of the region.

The monograph also includes comprehensive synthesis of the regional archaeological record by the editors and a chapter on Banyjima culture and traditions by consulting anthropologists Dr Nadia Butler, Dr Neale Draper, and Fiona Sutherland. Many specialist studies were commissioned for the Hope Downs work, including an archaeomagnetism report by Dr Andy Herries (LaTrobe University), a faunal analysis study by Dr. Matthew McDowell (University of Tasmania), a phytolith analysis by Dr Lynley Wallis (University of Notre Dame Australia), a palynological study by Dr Simon Haberle, Feli Hopf, and Dr Phil Roberts (Australian National University), artefact usewear/residue analysis by Dr Richard Fullagar (University of Wollongong), optically stimulated luminescence dating by Frances Williams (University of Adelaide), and a rockshelter geomorphological study by Prof Martin Williams (University of Adelaide).

Contents
About the Author

Editor's Preface, Acknowledgements, and Reporting of Dates

Foreword: Go with a Clear, Open and Accepting Spirit, and the Country Will Not Treat You Badly – by Maitland Parker and Slim Parker

PART 1 – INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Chapter 1 An Introduction to the Rockshelter Excavations at Hope Downs 1 – by Dawn Cropper and W. Boone Law

Chapter 2 An Archaeological Review of the Hamersley Plateau – by W. Boone Law and Dawn Cropper

Chapter 3 Banjima Culture and the Hope Downs 1 Mine – by Nadia Butler, Neale Draper, and Fiona Sutherland

Chapter 4 Research Aims and Methods – by Dawn Cropper and W. Boone Law

PART 2 - ROCKSHELTER EXCAVATIONS

Chapter 5 Excavations at Jundaru (HN-A9) Rockshelter – by Dawn Cropper

Chapter 6 Excavations at HD07-3A-PAD13 Rockshelter – by Dawn Cropper

Chapter 7 Excavations at HS-A1 Rockshelter – by Dawn Cropper

Chapter 8 Excavations at Djadjiling Rockshelter (HD07-1A-04) – by W. Boone Law and Dawn Cropper

Chapter 9 Excavations at PAD 3 Rockshelter – by W. Boone Law and Dawn Cropper

Chapter 10 Excavations at HD07-3A-03 Rockshelter – by Dawn Cropper

PART 3 - SPECIALIST STUDIES

Chapter 11 Archaeomagnetic Analysis of Sediments from Djadjiling Rockshelter (HD07-1A-04), Pilbara, Western Australia – by Andy I.R. Herries

Chapter 12 Phytolith Analysis of Sediment Samples from Djadjiling (HD07-1A-04), Jundaru (HN-A9) and HD07-3A-PAD13, Pilbara, Western Australia – by Lynley Wallis

Chapter 13 Sedimentary, Charcoal and Palynological Analysis of Djadjiling (HD07-1A-04), HD07-3A-PAD13, HD07-3A-03, HS-A1, Jundaru (HN-A9) Rockshelters, Pilbara, Western Australia – by Simon Haberle, Feli Hopf, and Phil Roberts

Chapter 14 Faunal Analysis of Jundaru (HN-A9) and PAD 3 Rockshelters, Pilbara, Western Australia – by Matthew McDowell

Chapter 15 Usewear and Residues on Stone Tools from PAD 3, Djadjiling, and Jundaru Rockshelters, East Pilbara, Western Australia – by Richard Fullagar

Chapter 16 Report on Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) Dating of a Further Four Samples from HD07-3A-PAD13 Rockshelter, Pilbara, Western Australia – by Frances Williams

Chapter 17 Report on the Geomorphology and Quaternary Geology of HD07-3A-PAD13 Rockshelter, Pilbara, Western Australia – by Martin Williams

PART 4 - DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Chapter 18 Summary and Discussion of Rockshelter Investigations at Hope Downs 1 – by Dawn Cropper and W. Boone Law

About the Author

Dawn Cropper is the Director of Archaeology at leading consulting company, New Zealand Heritage Properties, which has branches in Dunedin, Christchurch, and Invercargill. As Director, Dawn’s responsibilities include the management of all archaeology teams across the branches, development of process and training, as well as the development of proprietary methodology for archaeological risk management across large areas. She also specialises in heritage impact assessments and is a leading expert in the management of large-scale archaeological projects throughout New Zealand. Dawn holds a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Sydney (Australia) and a Master’s in Archaeology from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada), with a focus on technological analysis of flaked stone tools. From 2007 to 2013 she worked as a senior archaeologist and lithic specialist for Australian Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd, co-managing and supervising the Hope Downs 1 rockshelter excavations with W. Boone Law.

W. Boone Law is a scientist and heritage professional that specialises in the Aboriginal archaeology of the Australian Arid Zone. His qualifications include a BA in Anthropology from Texas Tech University and GDip/MPhil degrees in Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology from the Australian National University. He has published articles on a range of archaeological topics, including stone artefact technology, rockshelter excavations, and geospatial science. From 2006 to 2011, he worked as a senior archaeologist and lithic specialist for Australian Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd, co-managing and supervising the Hope Downs 1 rockshelter excavations with Dawn Cropper. He is currently a PhD candidate in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Adelaide, where his research focuses on the application of satellite/aerial remote sensing technologies to investigate past Aboriginal land use. Through his role as a senior archaeologist with Scarp Archaeology Pty Ltd, Mr. Law is an Associate Investigator with the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), James Cook University. He serves as Secretary of the Australian Archaeological Association 2018-2019.

Publishing Scholarly Archaeology since 1997

Publishing Scholarly Archaeology since 1997

Rockshelter Excavations in the East Hamersley Range, Pilbara Region, Western Australia

Contents

About the Author