Organic Artefacts and Organic Residues in Island Southeast Asia and Australia: Seeking Intangible Behaviours in the Deep Past

Summary

Exploring intangible behaviours—such as the decoration of oneself, or the manufacture of clothing or baskets— in the deep past is often beyond the reach of archaeologists. The microscopic examination of use wear and residues, however, allows researchers to gain significant insights into such ‘invisible’ behaviours. Organic artefacts recently excavated from sites located in both northern Australia and Timor-Leste (Island Southeast Asia) were microscopically examined for use wear and residues, and resulted in the identification of early decorative traditions in each region. Shells artefacts from the sites of Jerimalai, Lene Hara, and Matju Kuru 1 & 2 in Timor-Leste represented the earliest shell beads in Southeast Asia and the earliest shell appliqués in Island Southeast Asia, while bone artefacts from Carpenter’s Gap 1 and Riwi, Kimberleys, Australia, resulted in the identification of the earliest example of a personal ornament on the Australian continent. Such research demonstrates the power of use wear and residue research for examining some of the most remarkable aspects of early human communities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• The Science of Organic Residue Analysis and the Art of Cultural Interpretation I

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15757