UWA Handbook 2023

Unit Overview

Description

This Unit gives students the opportunity to gain academic credit through a supervised rock art recording and archaeological excavation project run by UWA's Centre for Rock Art Research + Management in partnership with Rio Tinto's Cultural Heritage team and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation and Rangers. The field school is part of Rio Tinto's contributions under their Conservation Agreement for the National Heritage Listing of the Burrup Peninsula. The Unit provides students with a great opportunity to develop practical and conceptual skills associated with Indigenous archaeology and rock art research. Students work alongside Traditional Owners and Rangers from the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, as well as archaeologists, heritage managers and members of the public.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Non-standard teaching period	UWA (Perth)	Off-campus

Details for undergraduate courses

• Level 2 option in the Archaeology major sequence
• Level 2 elective

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) successfully undertake rock art recording—identify and classify motifs, accurately document motifs on specialised rock art recording forms, use digital photography, sketching and tracing to record single and superimposed motifs; (2) successfully undertake survey and mapping—know the basic principles of archaeological survey, set a dumpy, use a dumpy, record excavation heights and points, and use a compass and map for survey and recording; (3) successfully conduct archaeological processing—use sieves, conduct primary on-site sorting of archaeological material; (4) successfully use a variety of recording forms (level, feature recording, artefact sorting, cataloguing, stratigraphic); (5) understand basic ethical considerations involved in the archaeological study of rock art and working with groups of stakeholders; and (6) successfully work in a team in field conditions in a safe and efficient manner.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) participation; (2) practical and in-field exercises

; and (3) final report. Further information is available in the unit outline.

Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Professor Jo McDonald and Professor Peter Veth

Unit rules

Prerequisites

ARCY2004 Archaeology of Rock Art.
enrolment is subject to quota.
Students must be physically fit or, if differently abled, inform the Unit Co-ordinator.
All medical conditions also need to be disclosed to ensure Occupational Health and Safety compliance.

Approved quota: 12—preference is given to students who have successfully completed ARCY2004 Archaeology of Rock Art. Enrolment is also based on student's academic merit in Archaeology and related subjects.

Incidental fees

Incidental student fees and charges are costs incurred by students as part of their studies at UWA that are in addition to their tuition fees (further information is available here or contact your Faculty Office).
Participation in this unit will incur the following incidental fee(s):
Sundry expenses. (estimated cost - $20-30).

Contact hours

10-14-day residential field school on the Burrup Peninsula (Murujuga), Western Australia. Participation in all aspects of the fieldschool as well as the pre and post fieldschool briefings is compulsory.

Note

Students must be physically fit to participate in this field school. All health conditions must be disclosed.

Texts

Optional but recommended:

McDonald, J. & Veth, P. 2012.  A Companion to Rock Art: London" Wiley-Blackwell.

Mulvaney, K. 2015.  Murujuga Marni: The Rock Art of the Macropod Hunters and the Mollusc Harvesters: Perth. UWA Press.

Books are available in the Reid Library