Australia: The Land Where Time Began

A biography of the Australian continent 

This is a huge midden that is 2 m thick, and is the largest of a series that are found on the shores and islands of a sheltered tidal estuary in the centre of the east coast.

Most Aboriginal People lived on the eastern side of Tasmania in historic times. The environment on the eastern side is so different from the western side that the expectations were that the culture might differ between the 2 sides, but excavations have shown that similar cultures and economies occurred on both sides of the island.

The midden at Little Swanport has the remains of fish only at the base, none at all being found between the bottom layer and the surface. As with all other middens known from Tasmania, there are no fish found after 3,500 years ago. Many shells of oysters and mussels and crayfish were found in the midden. It is believed to have been a fishing camp, though only shellfish were taken, because only a few artefacts and bones have been found.

Sources & Further reading

1. Flood, Josephine, 2004, Archaeology of the Dreamtime, JB Publications.

Links

1. The Tasmanians: Part 8b: Archaeology and the Oldest Tasmanians