Much more than stones and bones: Australian archaeology in the late twentieth century

Abstract

There is much more to stones and bones than most people think. In this book, Hilary du Cros shows archaeologists at work in surprising and interesting ways, such as: engaging in national politics to save ancient caves from being flooded by the proposed Franklin Dam in Tasmania; negotiating with developers and planners over the preservation of the site of First Government House in Sydney's central business district; investigating relics of Melbourne's nineteenth-century brothels in Little Lonsdale Street; and consulting with indigenous groups over the reburial of human remains. The case studies raise important ethical issues such as conservation versus commercialism, science versus Indigenous self-determination, and popular access versus technical elitism. Much More Than Stones and Bones is a study of the context and development of Australian archaeology over the past 25 years. Drawing on a range of sources-including mass media reports, film and radio documentaries, and the observations of participants-it provides insights into how we view our past, how information about the past is used, and how archaeology has contributed to an Australian cultural identity. This lively and provocative book challenges some popular conceptions about Australia's cultural history and explodes many of the stereotypes about archaeology.

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