Engaging and designing place: Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia

Bruno David; Jean-Jacques Delannoy; Chris Urwin; Joanna Fresløv; Russell Mullett; Christine Phillips

doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16

Engaging and designing place: Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia

Bruno David, Jean-Jacques Delannoy, Chris Urwin, Joanna Fresløv, Russell Mullett, Christine Phillips

Monash Indigenous Studies Centre

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sites are commonly thought about as ‘natural’ locations onto which people variously undertook activities. This chapter argues and shows that sites are architectural constructs, built through a combination of design (preplanning), bricolage (improvisation), and engagement. Sites are artefacts whose cultural modes of construction are amenable to archaeological investigation. By employing a chaîne opératoire approach to the study of sites as landscape-scale artefacts, how and when they were built can be worked out, offering new insights into the cultural history of
peoples and places.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea
Editors	Ian J. McNiven, Bruno David
Place of Publication	Oxford UK
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Number of pages	24
ISBN (Electronic)	9780190095611
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2021

Publication series

Name	Oxford Handbooks

Keywords

Cloggs Cave
Archaeomorphology
Architecture
Site furniture
Nawarla Gabarnmang
Chaînes opératoires
Rock shelters
Borologa
Caves
Social archaeology

Access to Document

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16

3 Article
1 Chapter (Book)
1 Other contribution

50 years and worlds apart: Rethinking the Holocene occupation of Cloggs Cave (East Gippsland, SE Australia) five decades after its initial archaeological excavation and in light of GunaiKurnai world views
David, B., Fresløv, J., Mullett, R., Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, Delannoy, J-J., McDowell, M., Urwin, C., Mialanes, J., Petchey, F., Wood, R., Russell, L., Arnold, L. J., Stephenson, B., Fullagar, R., Crouch, J., Ash, J., Berthet, J., Wong, V. N. L. & Green, H., 2021, In: Australian Archaeology. 87, 1, p. 1-20 20 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)
Determining the origin and changing shape of landscape-scale rock formations with three-dimensional modelling: The Borologa rock shelters, Kimberley region, Australia
Genuite, K., Delannoy, J. J., David, B., Unghango, A., Corporation, B. A., Cazes, G., Fulop, R., Fink, D., Codilean, A., Ouzman, S., Veth, P., Harper, S., Green, H., Finch, D. & Urwin, C., 1 Jul 2021, In: Geoarchaeology. 36, 4, p. 662-680 19 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)
Magic, culture and stalactites: how Aboriginal perspectives are transforming archaeological histories
David, B., Urwin, C., Delannoy, J-J., Russell, L. & Mullett, R., 6 Jan 2021, Melbourne Vic Australia : The Conversation.
Research output: Other contribution › Other

Open Access

1 Active

ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage
Roberts, R. G., O'Connor, S., Lawson, J., Jacobs, Z., Cohen, T., Haberle, S., Bird, M., Ulm, S., Turney, C. S. M., Nakata, N., Cooper, A., Bradshaw, C. J. A., Weyrich, L., David, B., Russell, L., Brook, B. W., Johnson, C. N., Asmussen, B., Knowles, C., Torrence, R., Slack, M., Delannoy, J., Leavesley, M. G., Miller, G., Schiffels, S., Storey, M. & McNiven, I.
Monash University – Internal University Contribution, Monash University – Internal Faculty Contribution
30/06/17 → 29/06/24
Project: Research

Cite this

David, B., Delannoy, J-J., Urwin, C., Fresløv, J., Mullett, R., & Phillips, C. (Accepted/In press). Engaging and designing place: Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia. In I. J. McNiven, & B. David (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea (Oxford Handbooks). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16

@inbook{2679519a562b4134a869f3e9ab85bdaa,

title = "Engaging and designing place: Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia",

abstract = "Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sites are commonly thought about as {\textquoteleft}natural{\textquoteright} locations onto which people variously undertook activities. This chapter argues and shows that sites are architectural constructs, built through a combination of design (preplanning), bricolage (improvisation), and engagement. Sites are artefacts whose cultural modes of construction are amenable to archaeological investigation. By employing a cha{\^i}ne op{\'e}ratoire approach to the study of sites as landscape-scale artefacts, how and when they were built can be worked out, offering new insights into the cultural history ofpeoples and places.",

keywords = "Cloggs Cave, Archaeomorphology, Architecture, Site furniture, Nawarla Gabarnmang, Cha{\^i}nes op{\'e}ratoires, Rock shelters, Borologa, Caves, Social archaeology",

author = "Bruno David and Jean-Jacques Delannoy and Chris Urwin and Joanna Fresl{\o}v and Russell Mullett and Christine Phillips",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16",

language = "English",

series = "Oxford Handbooks",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

editor = "McNiven, {Ian J.} and Bruno David",

booktitle = "The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea",

address = "United Kingdom",

}

David, B, Delannoy, J-J, Urwin, C, Fresløv, J, Mullett, R & Phillips, C 2021, Engaging and designing place: Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia. in IJ McNiven & B David (eds), The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea. Oxford Handbooks, Oxford University Press, Oxford UK. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16

Engaging and designing place : Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia. / David, Bruno; Delannoy, Jean-Jacques; Urwin, Chris et al.

The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea. ed. / Ian J. McNiven; Bruno David. Oxford UK : Oxford University Press, 2021. (Oxford Handbooks).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Engaging and designing place

T2 - Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia

AU - David, Bruno

AU - Delannoy, Jean-Jacques

AU - Urwin, Chris

AU - Fresløv, Joanna

AU - Mullett, Russell

AU - Phillips, Christine

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sites are commonly thought about as ‘natural’ locations onto which people variously undertook activities. This chapter argues and shows that sites are architectural constructs, built through a combination of design (preplanning), bricolage (improvisation), and engagement. Sites are artefacts whose cultural modes of construction are amenable to archaeological investigation. By employing a chaîne opératoire approach to the study of sites as landscape-scale artefacts, how and when they were built can be worked out, offering new insights into the cultural history ofpeoples and places.

AB - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sites are commonly thought about as ‘natural’ locations onto which people variously undertook activities. This chapter argues and shows that sites are architectural constructs, built through a combination of design (preplanning), bricolage (improvisation), and engagement. Sites are artefacts whose cultural modes of construction are amenable to archaeological investigation. By employing a chaîne opératoire approach to the study of sites as landscape-scale artefacts, how and when they were built can be worked out, offering new insights into the cultural history ofpeoples and places.

KW - Cloggs Cave

KW - Archaeomorphology

KW - Architecture

KW - Site furniture

KW - Nawarla Gabarnmang

KW - Chaînes opératoires

KW - Rock shelters

KW - Borologa

KW - Caves

KW - Social archaeology

U2 - 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16

DO - 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16

M3 - Chapter (Book)

T3 - Oxford Handbooks

BT - The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea

A2 - McNiven, Ian J.

A2 - David, Bruno

PB - Oxford University Press

CY - Oxford UK

ER -

David B, Delannoy J-J, Urwin C, Fresløv J, Mullett R, Phillips C. Engaging and designing place: Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia. In McNiven IJ, David B, editors, The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press. 2021. (Oxford Handbooks). https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190095611.013.16

Engaging and designing place: Furnishings and the architecture of archaeological sites in Aboriginal Australia

Abstract

Publication series

Keywords

Access to Document

Research output

50 years and worlds apart: Rethinking the Holocene occupation of Cloggs Cave (East Gippsland, SE Australia) five decades after its initial archaeological excavation and in light of GunaiKurnai world views

Determining the origin and changing shape of landscape-scale rock formations with three-dimensional modelling: The Borologa rock shelters, Kimberley region, Australia

Magic, culture and stalactites: how Aboriginal perspectives are transforming archaeological histories

Projects

ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage

Cite this