The Studies in Australasian Historical Archaeology series is designed to make the results of high-quality research in historical archaeology available to researchers and the public. Volume 1 presents Jim Allen’s Port Essington as the first PhD dissertation in Australasian historical archaeology. As Jim’s study was the seminal analysis for the discipline, in this instance we have chosen to retain the original content and discussion intact, both out of historical interest and as a benchmark for future researchers. Of particular significance is the extent to which the themes Jim explored in the 1960s, such as the nature of settlement and cross-cultural contact on the frontier, as well as the strong analytical structures he developed to address these, continue to resonate with current research.
Future releases in the series will include edited and revised versions of Australasian higher-degree theses, major pieces of consultancy and academic research, and commissioned studies on other topics of interest to ASHA members. Volume 2, to be published shortly, will present Judy Birmingham’s research on the Irrawang Pottery, recognized as the first HA excavation in Australia in the 1960s. In this completely new work Judy will not only report on the investigation of James King’s 1833–1855 pottery and its products, but also provide an interpretation which draws on 40 years of experience and reflection.
A particular aim of the series is to ensure that the data sets from these studies are also made available, either within the volumes or in associated websites, to facilitate opportunities for inter-site comparison and critical evaluation of analytical methods and interpretations.
MARTIN GIBBS
Series Editor