Tag Archives: South Australian Museum

South Australian Museum Archives Visit – Ngaut Ngaut Interpretive Project

Posted on December 1, 2010 by | Comments Off

In mid-September I visited the South Australian Museum Archives to locate images that were to be used on the interpretive signage at Ngaut Ngaut. This aspect of the project was also approved by the Mannum Aboriginal Community Association Inc. (MACAI). Dr Amy Roberts had given me some ideas as to what to look for and I had a list of index numbers that corresponded to relevant archive collections. Throughout the process of content creation Amy had found a few images that she wanted to use on the signs. The problem was that these copies had very low resolutions. My archives visit was aimed at finding the original images and organising high-quality 600 dpi copies of the photographs and field book sketches.

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Directed Study: SANTS Artefact Collection – Background and Repatriation

Posted on November 1, 2010 by | Comments Off

Hi guys. My directed study on this SANTS Collection has been focused quite a lot on repatriation and what options might be possible. To look into this I’ve done a bit of research into the situation of cultural material repatriation in Australia broadly and more specifically at South Australia. This is opposed to the repatriation of human remains which seems to have considerably more literature and attention. I have found Rachel Lenehan’s 1995 thesis on this topic of cultural material repatriation to be very helpful and interesting. I have considered an updated version (taking in the last 15 years) to be a possible thesis opportunity for myself.

I have included a short history on archaeology in Australia and its connection with indigenous communities and the paradigm shift towards community participation and a respect for other people’s cultural property. This history includes issues that have been raised for and against repatriation. As for the SANTS Collection, there are a few options available.

In my background research on cultural material repatriation I have looked at certain institutions and how they have behaved over time in particular repatriation instances. In particular I have looked at the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land Council (TALC) versus La Trobe, The Australian Museum and the South Australian Museum.

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A day at the museum: ARCH8517 visit the South Australian Museum’s lithic stores

Posted on September 2, 2010 by | Comments Off
Dr Keryn Walshe explains a tool to Jon, Veronica, Matthew and Adi

On August 24th, the ARCH8517 class visited the South Australian Museum’s storage facility in Hindmarsh.  We looked at Gallus’ lithic collections from Koonalda Cave; and a box of material shipped by Norman Tindale from the US when he returned.  Dr Keryn Walshe explained different aspects of the collections, and showed the class a range of classic tool types.  Then, working in pairs, students looked at small collections donated to the museum by various people known and unknown.  Using both geological and typological reference collections, and the sparse and sometimes curious information that accompanied the artefacts, they had to identify the raw materials, technology and typology.

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South Australian Mueseum Storage

Posted on April 11, 2009 by | Comments Off

Hello there, this is Marie from Dr Alice Gorman’s Directed Study in Cultural Heritage Management class. I wanted to pass on some information about the South Australian Museum storage facility located at Netly. This warehouse is absolutely a goldmine for anyone interested in Australian Indigenous Culture, as it is full of artefacts from all over Australia, including Bathurst and Melville Islands. Artefacts include bark paintings, ornaments, Indigenous medicines, boomerangs, spears, stone tools, baskets and shields, to name but a few. Volunteers help keep the database up to date and everything tidy. Dr Keryn Walshe is full of enthusiasm for those wishing to access this facility to further their studies.
I have spent some time at the Netly storage facility looking into spear throwers, comparing those classed as children’s to those defined as adults. Is it child’s play or are they miniature? Comparisons will be made between the two groups in order to answer this question, utilising the Museum’s current database, recording measurements and general observations. The process has been quite rewarding and I look forward to updating you at a later date as to what I have discovered.

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