Brit Asmussen
Biographic Data
| ID | 2740428 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Brit Asmussen |
| GIVEN NAMES | Brit |
| FAMILY NAME | Asmussen |
| SIGNATURE | ASMUSSEN B |
| AFFILIATIONS | Queensland Museum |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8443-1892 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 162 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2008 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
The Hearth as the Heart of the Family: Aboriginal Foodways and Daily Lives at the Former Weipa Mission (1898–1932), Waypandan, North-Eastern Australia
This chapter explores the foodways and daily lives of Aboriginal people at the former Weipa Mission, North-Eastern Australia. Christian Missions were a vital part of the colonising repertoire of the British in Australia, as elsewhere, but despite the hardships and traumatic histories these places represent, they are frequently of very high cultural significance to First Nations’ People today. As in many colonial settings, documentary records are …
Collecting antiquities in wartime
During the First World War (1914–1918), many service personnel collected souvenirs from the countries in which they served, but the collection of antiquities by service personnel remains a neglected area of research. Between 2019 and 2021, the R. D. Milns Antiquities Museum at the University of Queensland and the Queensland Museum collaborated in a research partnership to learn more about the antiquities collecting activities of First World War p…
Conscientious archaeologies
[Extract] Over several decades, there have been ongoing developments in the operation of many aspects of Australian archaeology, including working in deeper ways with First Nations peoples. How do practitioners build on this to cultivate honourable and collaborative engagements spanning all aspects of practice? Here I write wearing two hats—as a taphonomist interested in developing research methods, and as a museum curator. Experiences in both ro…
Cracking seeds and nuts: Replicating use-wear on pitted ground-edged stone hatchets from Southeastern Australia
Investigating intentionality of burning through macroscopic taphonomy in complex legacy funerary assemblages: Opportunities and challenges
Middle to Late Holocene near-shore foraging strategies at Caution Bay, Papua New Guinea
Analysis of pit and score tooth-mark sizes from bones modified by Holocene Australian terrestrial fauna in relation to body size
Macroscopic approaches to the identification of expedient bivalve tools: A case study investigating Polymesoda (=Geloina) coaxans (Bivalvia: Corbiculidae) shell valves from Princess Charlotte Bay, Que…
Ruisasi 1 and the Earliest Evidence of Mass-produced Ceramics in Caution Bay (Port Moresby Region), Papua New Guinea
The history of pottery use along the south coast of Papua New Guinea spans from Lapita times, here dated to 2900–2600 cal BP, through to mass production of pottery associated with a number of ethnographically-known interaction (and exchange) networks. Understanding the antecedents and developmental histories of these interaction networks is of considerable importance to archaeological research from local to western Pacific geographical scales. Th…
Obligations to Objects: Tangled Histories and Changing Contexts of the Burnett River Rock Engravings
This article discusses changing obligations toward objects from an archaeological site held by the Queensland Museum, through a long-term, 40-year case study. Between 1971 and 1972 a selection of 92 stone blocks weighing up to 5 tons containing Aboriginal engravings were cut out of the site and distributed to multiple locations across Queensland by the State Government under the provisions of the then Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act 1967. The …
High-resolution radiocarbon dating of marine materials in archaeological contexts: Radiocarbon marine reservoir variability between Anadara, Gafrarium, Batissa, Polymesoda spp. and Echinoidea at Cauti…
Terrestrial engagements by terminal Lapita maritime specialists on the southern Papuan coast
Insights into Austronesian environmental impacts on the New Guinea mainland are negligible, as until now no conclusive evidence for Lapita settlement of mainland New Guinea had been found (e.g. Lilley 2008:79) and the period of concern reveals 'very little correlation with [anthropogenic] environmental change' (Hope and Haberle 2005:548). The recent excavation of Lapita and post-Lapita sites dating between 2900 and 2000 years ago at Caution Bay i…
Forum Introduction: Recent Lapita pottery from the south coast of New Guinea
We thank all the commentators for their thoughtful comments, and especially Jim Specht for initiating this stimulating Forum on the discovery of Lapita ceramics at Caution Bay on the south coast of mainland Papua New Guinea. All flag numerous important implications of these discoveries for Pacific archaeology. To make the most economical use of our limited space to respond, we address key Lapita-related criticisms and queries raised by the five c…
Assessing the impact of mid-to-late Holocene Enso-driven climate change on toxic Macrozamia seed use: A 5000 year record from eastern Australia
C Marine Reservoir Variability in Herbivores and Deposit-Feeding Gastropods from an Open Coastline, Papua New Guinea
Herbivorous and deposit-feeding gastropods are a major component of archaeological shell middens worldwide. They provide a wealth of information about subsistence, economy, environment, and climate, but are generally considered to be less than ideal for radiocarbon dating because they can ingest sediment while they graze, inadvertently consuming terrestrial carbon in the process. However, few studies of 14 C activity in herbivores or deposit-feed…
New Direction In Human Colonisation of The Pacific: Lapita Settlement of South Coast New Guinea
Expansion of Austronesianspeaking peoples from the Bismarck Archipelago out into the Pacific commencing c.3300 cal BP represents the last great chapter of human global colonisation. Bismarck Indonesia Archipelago Papua New Guinea Torres Strait Caution Bay The earliest migrants were bearers of finelymade dentate-stamped Lapita pottery, hitherto found only across Island Melanesia and western Polynesia. We document the first known occurrence of Lapi…
In a nutshell: The identification and archaeological application of experimentally defined correlates of Macrozamia seed processing
Another burning question: Hunter‐gatherer exploitation of Macrozamia spp
Macrozamia seeds have long been considered an important economic resource to Australian hunter‐gatherers. As a result of limited ecological data during the 1970's‐1980's, seed production in Macrozamia spp. has been conceptualised as low yield and irregular, but easily stimulated through pyrogenic manipulation to produce high yield, regular resource gluts. This paper reviews and synthesises ecological data on Macrozamia ecology and seed production…
Intentional or incidental thermal modification? Analysing site occupation via burned bone
Anything more than a picnic? Re‐considering arguments for ceremonial Macrozamia use in mid‐Holocene Australia
Influential arguments have been advanced in Australian archaeology concerning the origins and development of social and economic change in the mid‐late Holocene (Lourandos 1997). One example used to support this claim is the perceived existence of ceremonial feasting events held in the semi‐arid and rugged sandstone gorge systems of central Queensland, attended by large groups of people for extended periods, and underwritten by large quantities o…
New Direction In Human Colonisation of The Pacific: Lapita Settlement of South Coast New Guinea
Expansion of Austronesianspeaking peoples from the Bismarck Archipelago out into the Pacific commencing c.3300 cal BP represents the last great chapter of human global colonisation. Bismarck Indonesia Archipelago Papua New Guinea Torres Strait Caution Bay The earliest migrants were bearers of finelymade dentate-stamped Lapita pottery, hitherto found only across Island Melanesia and western Polynesia. We document the first known occurrence of Lapi…
Intentional or incidental thermal modification? Analysing site occupation via burned bone
High-resolution radiocarbon dating of marine materials in archaeological contexts: Radiocarbon marine reservoir variability between Anadara, Gafrarium, Batissa, Polymesoda spp. and Echinoidea at Cauti…
C Marine Reservoir Variability in Herbivores and Deposit-Feeding Gastropods from an Open Coastline, Papua New Guinea
Herbivorous and deposit-feeding gastropods are a major component of archaeological shell middens worldwide. They provide a wealth of information about subsistence, economy, environment, and climate, but are generally considered to be less than ideal for radiocarbon dating because they can ingest sediment while they graze, inadvertently consuming terrestrial carbon in the process. However, few studies of 14 C activity in herbivores or deposit-feed…
Anything more than a picnic? Re‐considering arguments for ceremonial Macrozamia use in mid‐Holocene Australia
Influential arguments have been advanced in Australian archaeology concerning the origins and development of social and economic change in the mid‐late Holocene (Lourandos 1997). One example used to support this claim is the perceived existence of ceremonial feasting events held in the semi‐arid and rugged sandstone gorge systems of central Queensland, attended by large groups of people for extended periods, and underwritten by large quantities o…
Assessing the impact of mid-to-late Holocene Enso-driven climate change on toxic Macrozamia seed use: A 5000 year record from eastern Australia
Another burning question: Hunter‐gatherer exploitation of Macrozamia spp
Macrozamia seeds have long been considered an important economic resource to Australian hunter‐gatherers. As a result of limited ecological data during the 1970's‐1980's, seed production in Macrozamia spp. has been conceptualised as low yield and irregular, but easily stimulated through pyrogenic manipulation to produce high yield, regular resource gluts. This paper reviews and synthesises ecological data on Macrozamia ecology and seed production…
Investigating intentionality of burning through macroscopic taphonomy in complex legacy funerary assemblages: Opportunities and challenges
Analysis of pit and score tooth-mark sizes from bones modified by Holocene Australian terrestrial fauna in relation to body size
Forum Introduction: Recent Lapita pottery from the south coast of New Guinea
We thank all the commentators for their thoughtful comments, and especially Jim Specht for initiating this stimulating Forum on the discovery of Lapita ceramics at Caution Bay on the south coast of mainland Papua New Guinea. All flag numerous important implications of these discoveries for Pacific archaeology. To make the most economical use of our limited space to respond, we address key Lapita-related criticisms and queries raised by the five c…
In a nutshell: The identification and archaeological application of experimentally defined correlates of Macrozamia seed processing
Cracking seeds and nuts: Replicating use-wear on pitted ground-edged stone hatchets from Southeastern Australia
Intentional or incidental thermal modification? Analysing site occupation via burned bone
Anything more than a picnic? Re‐considering arguments for ceremonial Macrozamia use in mid‐Holocene Australia
Influential arguments have been advanced in Australian archaeology concerning the origins and development of social and economic change in the mid‐late Holocene (Lourandos 1997). One example used to support this claim is the perceived existence of ceremonial feasting events held in the semi‐arid and rugged sandstone gorge systems of central Queensland, attended by large groups of people for extended periods, and underwritten by large quantities o…
Another burning question: Hunter‐gatherer exploitation of Macrozamia spp
Macrozamia seeds have long been considered an important economic resource to Australian hunter‐gatherers. As a result of limited ecological data during the 1970's‐1980's, seed production in Macrozamia spp. has been conceptualised as low yield and irregular, but easily stimulated through pyrogenic manipulation to produce high yield, regular resource gluts. This paper reviews and synthesises ecological data on Macrozamia ecology and seed production…
In a nutshell: The identification and archaeological application of experimentally defined correlates of Macrozamia seed processing
New Direction In Human Colonisation of The Pacific: Lapita Settlement of South Coast New Guinea
Expansion of Austronesianspeaking peoples from the Bismarck Archipelago out into the Pacific commencing c.3300 cal BP represents the last great chapter of human global colonisation. Bismarck Indonesia Archipelago Papua New Guinea Torres Strait Caution Bay The earliest migrants were bearers of finelymade dentate-stamped Lapita pottery, hitherto found only across Island Melanesia and western Polynesia. We document the first known occurrence of Lapi…
Terrestrial engagements by terminal Lapita maritime specialists on the southern Papuan coast
Insights into Austronesian environmental impacts on the New Guinea mainland are negligible, as until now no conclusive evidence for Lapita settlement of mainland New Guinea had been found (e.g. Lilley 2008:79) and the period of concern reveals 'very little correlation with [anthropogenic] environmental change' (Hope and Haberle 2005:548). The recent excavation of Lapita and post-Lapita sites dating between 2900 and 2000 years ago at Caution Bay i…
Forum Introduction: Recent Lapita pottery from the south coast of New Guinea
We thank all the commentators for their thoughtful comments, and especially Jim Specht for initiating this stimulating Forum on the discovery of Lapita ceramics at Caution Bay on the south coast of mainland Papua New Guinea. All flag numerous important implications of these discoveries for Pacific archaeology. To make the most economical use of our limited space to respond, we address key Lapita-related criticisms and queries raised by the five c…
Assessing the impact of mid-to-late Holocene Enso-driven climate change on toxic Macrozamia seed use: A 5000 year record from eastern Australia
C Marine Reservoir Variability in Herbivores and Deposit-Feeding Gastropods from an Open Coastline, Papua New Guinea
Herbivorous and deposit-feeding gastropods are a major component of archaeological shell middens worldwide. They provide a wealth of information about subsistence, economy, environment, and climate, but are generally considered to be less than ideal for radiocarbon dating because they can ingest sediment while they graze, inadvertently consuming terrestrial carbon in the process. However, few studies of 14 C activity in herbivores or deposit-feed…
High-resolution radiocarbon dating of marine materials in archaeological contexts: Radiocarbon marine reservoir variability between Anadara, Gafrarium, Batissa, Polymesoda spp. and Echinoidea at Cauti…
Ruisasi 1 and the Earliest Evidence of Mass-produced Ceramics in Caution Bay (Port Moresby Region), Papua New Guinea
The history of pottery use along the south coast of Papua New Guinea spans from Lapita times, here dated to 2900–2600 cal BP, through to mass production of pottery associated with a number of ethnographically-known interaction (and exchange) networks. Understanding the antecedents and developmental histories of these interaction networks is of considerable importance to archaeological research from local to western Pacific geographical scales. Th…
Obligations to Objects: Tangled Histories and Changing Contexts of the Burnett River Rock Engravings
This article discusses changing obligations toward objects from an archaeological site held by the Queensland Museum, through a long-term, 40-year case study. Between 1971 and 1972 a selection of 92 stone blocks weighing up to 5 tons containing Aboriginal engravings were cut out of the site and distributed to multiple locations across Queensland by the State Government under the provisions of the then Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act 1967. The …
Macroscopic approaches to the identification of expedient bivalve tools: A case study investigating Polymesoda (=Geloina) coaxans (Bivalvia: Corbiculidae) shell valves from Princess Charlotte Bay, Que…
Analysis of pit and score tooth-mark sizes from bones modified by Holocene Australian terrestrial fauna in relation to body size
Middle to Late Holocene near-shore foraging strategies at Caution Bay, Papua New Guinea
Cracking seeds and nuts: Replicating use-wear on pitted ground-edged stone hatchets from Southeastern Australia
Investigating intentionality of burning through macroscopic taphonomy in complex legacy funerary assemblages: Opportunities and challenges
The Hearth as the Heart of the Family: Aboriginal Foodways and Daily Lives at the Former Weipa Mission (1898–1932), Waypandan, North-Eastern Australia
This chapter explores the foodways and daily lives of Aboriginal people at the former Weipa Mission, North-Eastern Australia. Christian Missions were a vital part of the colonising repertoire of the British in Australia, as elsewhere, but despite the hardships and traumatic histories these places represent, they are frequently of very high cultural significance to First Nations’ People today. As in many colonial settings, documentary records are …
Collecting antiquities in wartime
During the First World War (1914–1918), many service personnel collected souvenirs from the countries in which they served, but the collection of antiquities by service personnel remains a neglected area of research. Between 2019 and 2021, the R. D. Milns Antiquities Museum at the University of Queensland and the Queensland Museum collaborated in a research partnership to learn more about the antiquities collecting activities of First World War p…
Conscientious archaeologies
[Extract] Over several decades, there have been ongoing developments in the operation of many aspects of Australian archaeology, including working in deeper ways with First Nations peoples. How do practitioners build on this to cultivate honourable and collaborative engagements spanning all aspects of practice? Here I write wearing two hats—as a taphonomist interested in developing research methods, and as a museum curator. Experiences in both ro…
Archaeology (18 works) · Geography (16 works) · Biology (9 works) · Geology (8 works) · History (8 works) · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies (8 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (7 works) · Ecology (7 works) · Engineering (6 works) · Bay (5 works)