Aboriginal uses for introduced glass, ceramic and flint from the former Schofields Aerodrome, Western Sydney (Darug Country), New South Wales

Abstract

Since permanent colonial incursion in 1788, Aboriginal groups around Australia incorporated introduced materials for a variety of tasks. However, relatively little is known about Aboriginal uses of bottle glass and ceramic flakes because there have only been two published use-wear analyses concerning bottle glass and none for ceramic. Excavations at the historical site of the former Schofields Aerodrome in New South Wales yielded flakes of both materials as well as introduced flint. We draw on actualistic experiments to inform interpretations of use-wear among the 279 archaeological specimens. Results demonstrate that glass, ceramic and flint were indeed used at the former Schofields Aerodrome site, for tools to work other materials. This is the first evidence for such use of ceramic flakes, which had previously only been known to have been used as end-products, such as spear tips. Use-wear also indicates that, contrary to common assumptions, thicker parts of glass bottles were not always preferred for tools and that across each raw material, tools were predominantly shards rather than intentionally knapped flakes. We infer that while ascribing motives to past behaviours is complex, the use of the introduced materials represents agency in Aboriginal people’s engagement with the incoming colonial culture.

Keywords:

• Use-wear analysis
• ceramic artefacts
• bottle glass artefacts
• flint artefacts
• colonial
• Aboriginal technology
• microscopy

Acknowledgements

The archaeological work on site was undertaken with the input and assistance from a number of local Darug people and groups, including Darug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation, Darug Tribal Aboriginal Corporation, Darug Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessments, Darug Aboriginal Land Care, and Darug Land Observations. All Darug Aboriginal participants are thanked for their hard work, participation and cultural input into understanding the colonial period site.

During the preparation of this paper the Darug Custodial Knowledge Holders provided input into the importance of the Aboriginal colonial cultural landscape, and historical events held in social memory amongst their community. They provided comment on the connections between the historical places described, and contributed to the implications and outcomes of the study.

Dr Beth White is thanked for undertaking the metric analysis of all lithics, glass and ceramic from OA3. Dr Jennifer Jones is thanked for the historical typological analysis of the ceramic and glass objects, and for undertaking the comparative analysis of assemblages between the Pye family’s archaeological assemblage and that from OA3. Abi Cryerhall and Jennifer Jones are thanked for details of the historical archaeological excavation (which they jointly directed). Dr Richard Fullagar is thanked for the use of his metallographic microscope.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no declaration of interests.

Additional information

Funding

The research presented was funded by Defence Housing Australia (DHA).