Uncovering Australia: Archaeology, Indigenous People And The Public

Drawing on fascinating case studies and examining the conflicts that exist between archaeologists, Indigenous people and government, Sarah Colley provides a uniquely readable exploration of how the field of archaeology continues to evolve in our postcolonial world.

In recent times, archaeologists have unearthed a vast wealth of knowledge about Australia - from tens of thousands of years ago to the very recent past. But the last three decades have been times of confrontation, compromise and uneasy reconciliation between archaeologists, Indigenous people, governments and others with a stake in cultural places.

Ancient tradition and contemporary politics repeatedly clash as established ways of practising archaeology come into conflict with Aboriginal and other rights movements-and come into the headlines. Tourism and development threaten the world's most ancient art, Indigenous ancestral remains are removed from museum collections, and debates over the date of first human settlement in Australia meet debates about Aboriginal rights claims.

The shifting world of Australian archaeology reflects the great social and political transformations throughout the world over the last half-century.

Sarah Colley backgrounds this conflict with intelligence and clarity, providing an accurate, timely snapshot of the state of archaeology in Australia today and its interplay with the institutions, the culture and the ideas of its time. 'Uncovering Australia' is a book about archaeology like none before it - a uniquely readable exploration of the role of our past in our present.