MAY CONTAIN MARKUP

BY PETER SUTTON and KERYN WALSHE

The ongoing debate sparked by "Dark Emu" by Bruce Pascoe delves into the historical perception of Indigenous Australians as either farmers or hunter-gatherers. Pascoe's book challenges the traditional view of Indigenous communities as solely hunter-gatherers by presenting evidence of sophisticated farming practices. This controversial interpretation has ignited discussions among scholars, historians, and the general public, raising questions about the true nature of pre-colonial Aboriginal societies. As the debate continues to unfold, it prompts us to reconsider our understanding of Australia's rich indigenous history and the complex relationship between humans and the land.

Melbourne. Melbourne University Press. 2021. 287p.

By Oxford Archaeology

Between 2007 and 2008 Oxford Archaeology, commissioned by English Heritage, conducted a major investigation into the crime of Nighthawking, the illegal search for and removal of antiquities from the ground by criminals using metal detectors. The scope of the survey covered all archaeological sites, not just Scheduled Monuments. The survey collected data to clarify the scale of the problem of Nighthawking and to inform strategies to combat it. The survey also looked at the sale of illicitly recovered archaeological material, both online and elsewhere, and prosecutions and convictions of ‘heritage crime’ whether under relevant heritage legislation or any other law.

Oxford, UK: Oxford Archaeology, 2009. 212p.