Olivia Cashmere

Current position

Archaeologist at Umwelt Environmental and Social Consultants but currently on a secondment with Transport and Main Roads in Cairns.

Where did you study?

Bachelor of Arts at University of Sydney

Master of Science (Archaeological Science) at Leiden University, the Netherlands

How did you become interested in archaeology?

I started studying history and I took one elective in archaeology and loved it! I couldn't believe we were allowed to touch pottery that was thousands of years old. You could even see people's fingerprints in the clay! I was hooked.

What archaeological projects are you working on at the moment?

I'm currently working with Transport and Main Roads in the Cairns office, managing the cultural heritage for the roads that were heavily damaged by Cyclone Jasper.

Tell us about one of your most interesting archaeological discoveries

I was helping to excavate an enslaved burial site on the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Eustatius and we found three individuals who showed evidence for body modification where their incisors and canines were sharpened to points. We also found one individual who had a pseudoarthrosis (fake joint) in their humerus. Their arm had broken while they were alive and had healed incorrectly making a fake joint. This meant they likely would have been able to bend their upper arm like having a second elbow. So cool!

Tell us about a funny / disastrous / amazing experience that you have had while doing archaeology

Every day is amazing when you get to spend your days outside, meeting amazing people and finding incredible things.

What’s your favourite part of being an archaeologist?

The people you meet. I've made amazing life long connections and nothing bonds people together quicker than field work in the middle of nowhere.