Australian archaeologists work in a huge range of fields, investigating diverse aspects of our past. A generous bunch of Australian archaeologists have shared their stories with us. Click on the profiles below to find out more!
If you would like to add your story, please get in touch, or fill in the form below.
In her work as an archaeologist, Angeline has the opportunity to help people reclaim their own history, and experience moments where she is the first person in the world to see an individual who had been lost to history for millions of years. What amazing experiences!
Read MoreMarc dreamed of being an archaeologist as a child, but got a sensible job instead and has equally sensibly come back to the field in later life. His current research sheds a fascinating light on information that can be extracted from analysis of sediment, from site formation in Indonesia to the impact of a comet on Earth thousands of years ago.
Read MoreArchaeological Hazards 101 does not include ‘getting chased by a hermit’ but maybe it really should. Fortunately Mary-Jean was able to out-hermit the hermit.
Read MoreFrom an early childhood interest in everything in the world, Jelena has developed an interest in everything in the universe, leading her to the contemporary field of space archaeology! Her current research is focused on the study of material culture related to food and eating aboard the International Space Station.
Read MorePaul’s interest in archaeology was sparked by exploring his grandparents’ library (and jewellery collection). He studied in NSW and is now working in Alaska!
Read MoreSophie is an historical archaeologist, at the moment working on writing up a recent excavation in Parramatta. Her story as an archaeologist is punctuated by vivid memories and experiences, from the Big Oyster in Taree to a timber spindle in London.
Read MoreOne of Jacqueline’s passions is diseases in the archaeological record, burials, misinformation on diseases and historic quarantine. She also adds bull calves to the long list of fieldwork hazards.
Read MoreAs an archaeologist, Katarina loves having an outdoor and an indoor office. It’s not everyone who finds two perfectly preserved Roman boats in their outdoor office though …
Read MoreAbby took a gamble and applied for archaeology at university. Since then, she says she has learnt so much from so many different subfields of the discipline; from what gives glass its colour, to the effect of sea level rise on Aboriginal cultural heritage sites.
Read MoreEmily introduces us to spatial syntax, a concept that can be used to understand patterns of movement and encounter. it’s a fascinating insight into one of the many ways that archaeologists find meaning in material culture.
Read MoreLauren was inspired by a child by the amazing discoveries of archaeologists. Now she is an archaeologist herself, she finds that she loves getting to see pieces of the everyday lives of people instead, things that have not been written about in the history books.
Read MoreLeah finds that every day is different as an archaeologist. She is constantly learning … and she loves it!
Read MoreEva is following her passion for science and the past through PhD research, involving the identification of use marks on Australian boomerangs - in particular, use marks suggesting the use of boomerangs for shaping stone tools.
Read MoreJasmine’s early interest in history led her to archaeology, as a hands-on way of finding about the past. One of her most intriguing discoveries has been above ground - finding the standing remains of a 19th century building that had been incorporated into a later factory.
Read MoreAmanda’s story finally answers the nature or nurture question: she has always wanted to be an archaeologist, and here she is! She has worked all over NSW, over many years, and only been involved in a whole-of-team food poisoning incident once. Those are good odds.
Read MoreNadia traces her journey as an archaeologist back to her family’s stories of place and people in the Isole Eolie, a small group of volcanic islands off the west coast of Italy. Her curiosity to learn has carried her from islands off the Abu Dhabi coast to the Konya Plain in Turkey to the banks of the Tank Stream in Sydney, and many places to come.
Read MoreThe influence of early exposure to Time-Life illustrated books seems to be forming a common theme when we Meet the Archaeologists, and Steve is no exception. Another theme is the joy of working with amazing people, and sharing knowledge, experiences, history and heritage.
Read MoreMichael became interested in archaeology while working at the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology. He is now Senior Curator at the Museum, and runs a consultancy in Queensland, and has collected some amazing stories along the way.
Read MoreFrom dreaming of pyramidions as a child, Adam has learnt to look for the human connection in smaller, everyday artefacts. Like most archaeologists, he has found that archaeology isn’t just about digging … it’s also about bailing rainwater out of your trench with a bucket full of holes.
Read MoreHannah is currently working on sites at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Hyde Park Barracks, and the former Mount Gilead Estate, exploring aspects of the history of greater Sydney. And on her holidays, she just keeps going, of course, and is working on an Early Bronze Age site called Dhaskalio in the Greek Cyclades, where the evidence of trade in obsidian is revealing regional connections.
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