Matthew Kelly
Name
Matthew Kelly
Current position
Senior Archaeologist, Curio Projects
Where did you study?
Sydney University
How did you become interested in archaeology?
Read as a young child about tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt
What archaeological projects are you working on at the moment?
Etoa Battlefield Site, Kokoda Track, Papua New Guinea
Jacquinot Bay, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea
Lands Department and Education Department buildings, Sydney
Fort Street School, Observatory Hill, Sydney
Tell us about one of your most interesting archaeological discoveries.
Etoa Battlefield, Kokoda Track, is a battlefield site from the 1942 Kokoda Track campaign. It has remains from the October 1942 battle which includes potentially 58 missing Japanese soldiers.
Tell us about a funny / disastrous / amazing experience that you have had while doing archaeology.
Archaeology is inherently risky in the long term with wear and tear on the body. Over the years the signs have become more apparent that I have done my joints and back in from the hard labour that form part of your daily work. My disaster is ripping the all the muscles in my right upper leg while excavating an iron age/medieval mine in Austria. It had me drinking schnapps as an anesthetic for two hours just to get to the hospital.
Working overseas always contains risks with language mistranslations which can get you into lots of trouble!
Archaeology is just amazing to work in so each day can be as good as the last.
What’s your favourite part of being an archaeologist?
Easy! You learn new things each day about sites, history and techniques to work with as well as fun and interesting people who become colleagues and friends.
Follow up reading.