[ASC-list] BrisScience: Australia’s Rift Valley: the archaeology of the Willandra Lakes and investigations of its fossil trackway on Monday 18 May 2009

[Lynelle Ross]

>>
>> NEXT BRISSCIENCE TALK 18 May 2009
>> ======================================================
>> Australia’s Rift Valley: the archaeology of the Willandra Lakes and  
>> investigations of its fossil trackway
>> presented by Dr Michael Westaway, Curator (Archaeology),Queensland  
>> Museum.
>> The Willandra Lakes has been described by some archaeologists as  
>> Australia’s Rift Valley. It contains some of the earliest evidence  
>> in the Australasian region of modern human occupation. The  
>> discovery of Mungo Lady forty years ago led to a significant  
>> revision of public appreciation of the age and complexity of  
>> Aboriginal occupation of Australia. In addition the landscape  
>> provides a comprehensive record of human adaptation to dramatic  
>> climate change over a 50,000 year period. The recently discovered  
>> fossil trackway site from the northern lakes in the system has  
>> emerged as one of the most exciting archaeological discoveries from  
>> within Australia this millennia. Many of the footprints are  
>> perfectly fossilised in a clay unit that is reliably dated to the  
>> peak of the Last Great Ice Age around 20,000 years ago. But what  
>> else can they tell us about the Aboriginal people that lived in the  
>> Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area?
>>  In this paper I will discuss the importance of the Willandra for  
>> understanding the complexity of Aboriginal occupation and outline  
>> some of the main elements of the archaeological and  
>> palaeoenvironmental record. I will then discuss the results of  
>> further investigations at the Willandra Lakes fossil trackway  
>> including the outcome of a ground penetrating radar survey and  
>> redating of the fossil trackway, and a re-evaluation of the  
>> trackway speeds derived from data recorded by high resolution  
>> digital scanning.
>>
>>     * Time: 6:30pm to 7:30pm (Doors open at 6pm)
>>     * Venue: Ithaca Auditorium, Brisbane City Hall
>>     * Refreshments: There will be complimentary drinks and nibblies  
>> following the talk, and Dr Westaway will be available to answer any  
>> questions.
>>     * Questions? Contact Lynelle (l.ross at smp.uq.edu.au)
>>
>> This event is free and open to all. No RSVP necessary
>> ======================================================
>> UPCOMING TALKS
>>
>> 22 June A/Prof Thomas Suddendorf
>> July TBC
>> 17 August - INTECOL 09 International Ecology Panel Discussion.
>> September - Our Annual Brisbane Writers Festival talk
>> 12 October - Dr Michael Murphy from Swinburne University - Topic to  
>> be confirmed (Astrophysics)
>> November - Dr Rod Rietze from Queensland Brain Institute at The  
>> University of Queensland
>>
>> ======================================================
>>
>> To join or leave our mailing list please email l.ross at smp.uq.edu.au  
>> or visit BrisScience at www.BrisScience.org
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>>
>> Please forward this email to friends, colleagues and family!
>>
>> ======================================================
>> From your friendly BrisScience Co-ordinators, Joel and Lynelle
>> c/o School of Mathematics and Physics,
>> The University of Queensland,
>> Brisbane Australia, 4072
>> ======================================================
>

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