University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Is there a Pleistocene archaeological site at Cuddie Springs?

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 04:26 authored by Gillespie, R, Barry BrookBarry Brook
The juxtaposition of stone tools, charcoal and bones at Cuddie Springs has been used to support claims that people were butchering now-extinct animals, and grinding seeds about 30,000 BP. Statistical analysis of dates for the site shows significant sediment disturbance, and the anomalous presence of hair residues in the absence of bone collagen suggests that bones and stone tools are not the same age. We argue that the published studies on the Cuddie Springs claypan deposits do not show a stratified and undisturbed Late Pleistocene archaeological site, as proposed by the excavators, instead revealing a palimpsest of Late Holocene and European occupational debris superimposed on a much longer-term record of Quaternary landscape evolution. There is no reliable evidence that extinct Australian megafauna coexisted with people using seed-grinding technology at Cuddie Springs, nullifying the excavators' support for climate change models of extinction and dietary choice.

History

Publication title

Archaeology in Oceania

Volume

41

Pagination

1-11

ISSN

0003-8121

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia

Place of publication

155 Cremorne St, Richmond, VIC 3121 Australia

Rights statement

Copyright 2006 The University of Sydney

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in history, heritage and archaeology

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Categories

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC