Author: Gerard Coker
Coker, Gerard, 2024 Submerged Landscape Archaeology of lutruwita (Tasmania) and the Bass Strait A pilot study toward a predictive model, Flinders University, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
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During the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, much of the submerged continental shelf around lutruwita (Tasmania) and the Bass Strait was exposed land. Previous research has established consistent human occupation of lutruwita for over 40,000 years. Throughout this period there have been immense fluctuations in the global climate resulting in regional environmental, ecological and geographic change. During the last glacial maximum, sea level fell to as much as -130 metres below the modern time, exposing hundreds of thousands of square kilometres which were subsequently submerged by post-glacial sea-level rise. Research in the field of submerged archaeology around the world has proven that areas like these were utilised by people and still contain valuable evidence of human history. Archaeologists in lutruwita have theorised for decades on the use of a land corridor as the mode of migration from mainland Australia and the possibility of continuous coastal utilisation over this time period, but no large-scale research has been undertaken for submerged archaeology in the area. To date, one intertidal archaeological site has been identified from an intertidal survey in Cygnet Bay. The aims of this pilot study were to evaluate the potential of submerged heritage sites on the continental shelf around lutruwita and the Bass Strait; to assist future research; and contribute to the development of a predictive model for site creation and preservation. A further objective of this research was to contribute to discussion of cultural heritage management regarding the development of offshore industry along the continental shelf of Australia.
Predictive modelling has become prominent in large-scale archaeological projects as their use allows funding and project resources to be focused on areas of higher probability. While predictive models can be misinterpreted and misused to avoid proper archaeological survey, they also offer the chance to direct research to best use its limited funding. Submerged archaeology has seen an increase in predictive models recently, but few have been adequately tested for accuracy. While the techniques of submerged archaeological site prediction are still new, the need for research into the submerged landscapes of lutruwita and the Bass Strait is growing with the field of research and the impending development.
To achieve the aims and objectives of this thesis, a preliminary regional model was developed using a new methodology to demonstrate the potential of the continental shelf to contain preserved archaeological sites. This required the integration of regressive sea-level and predictive archaeological modelling as well as the research of submerged archaeologists. The result was ten models, 8 individual and 2 cumulative, that indicate multiple regions of high potential to hold preserved archaeological sites around the selected study area, including areas designated for impending development. These results present areas for suggested future research to support the Palawa communities and Australian legislators to make informed decisions on submerged cultural heritage.
Keywords: Submerged archaeological landscape, Tasmania, Bass Strait, GIS, Predictive modeling, archaeology, seafloor, palaeo-coastline.
Subject: Archaeology thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2024
School: College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Supervisor: Jonathan Benjamin